Giving Compass' Take:

• Brunello Cucinelli has a plan revitalize the community of Solomeo to magnify its economic prosperity through restoration projects. 

• Investing in a place is one way to follow through with corporate social responsibility, what are some other examples? 

• Read about Audible's corporate philanthropy strategy. 

How does a frazione (the Italian word for “hamlet”) that holds fewer people than one city high-rise, come to be associated with one of the top fashion brands in the world? This comes down to one man’s vision, which happens to be in line with a movement that sees luxury brands transforming the local communities in which they operate.

“The great dream of my life has always been to work for the moral and economic dignity of the human being,” says the eponymous CEO of the brand. “I believe it is important for people to work in a pleasant environment, to be paid a slightly better wage, and to feel a shared sense of responsibility
and respect.”

This year marked the completion of Cucinelli’s incentive to restore Solomeo, the town where his company took root. The motivation behind the restoration stemmed from his childhood memories of his father working under an employer who held human dignity in scant regard. His vision as he matured towards adulthood and became a father was to restore not only the infrastructure and economic viability of a small town such as Solomeo, but also the more elusive sense of pride and dignity of its residents, easily lost in a hamlet that threatens to shrink as younger generations leave to seek their futures in big cities.

Today, outskirts are a problem throughout the world, but it is precisely for this reason that they have potential to become pleasant and special places. I am convinced that the future of the outstanding civil, human and spiritual renewal will start to take form in these locations,” Cucinelli explains.

Gone are the days when CSR could be dismissed a marketing ploy. If these brands are anything to go by, it seems that an increasing number of companies have put their philanthropic initiatives at the forefront of their operation strategies, assigning more importance and resources to these projects than before.

Read the full article about corporate social responsibility by Jacqueline Tsang at STYLE