Daniela Bernacchi is the new Secretary-General of Global Compact Network Italy. Consequently, she will be the person guiding - together with Professor Marco Frey (President) and in synergy with the Network’s Board of Directors - the Foundation for the next three years. The Foundation was appointed by the United Nations to coordinate and promote the “Global Compact” - the UN project aimed at promoting global sustainable development - at the national level.
After a twenty-year career in the marketing of large and distinguished multinationals operating in the publishing (Gruner und Jahr-Mondadori), entertainment (The Walt Disney Company) and energy (Liquigas-SHV) sectors - reaching the position of Marketing Director - Bernacchi continued her professional experience in the non-profit sector. In the last 12 years, she has been Director General of two leading Italian non-governmental organizations, namely WeWorld and Cesvi Foundation, both engaged in Africa, Asia and South America with humanitarian and development programs, and focusing particularly on human rights and inclusive and sustainable growth. Until February 2019, she was also part of the Board of «Alliance2015», a network which brings together 8 important European ONGs committed to the promotion of the SDGs – the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations in 89 countries worldwide.
She has collaborated on a voluntary basis with non-profit organisations and associations for the development of corporate welfare projects (with particular attention to gender issues), raising awareness on the even broader topic of Diversity. A supporter of female empowerment, she promotes and supports programs for the protection of women's rights, inclusion and economic sustainability.
«In my professional career, my commitment to the protection of human rights and sustainable development has steadily grown, deeply convinced as I am that no one should be "left behind”. Businesses have a key role to play in achieving the Global Goals by 2030 together with governments, academia and civil society. I am excited to work for the Italian Global Compact Network in collaboration with the other local networks (first and foremost, the European ones) and all the players involved in this great movement created by the United Nations to promote - together and in a multi-stakeholder logic - responsible business and a more inclusive and sustainable global economy to everyone’s benefit» - these were the first words of the new Secretary-General.
This was President Frey’s comment to Bernacchi’s appointment: «On behalf of the Network's Board of Directors, I welcome Daniela Bernacchi to Global Compact Network Italy: a network in which more than 150 business and non-business organisations currently participate and which has recorded a continuous growth, especially in the last year. The previous term of office ended with a number of still-open challenges on which we will work with a strategic approach in the coming months. What I am talking about is: first of all, the consolidation of the global governance model "One Global Compact” introduced in 2018 which provides for a gradual strengthening of the collaboration between the offices of the GC in New York and Local Networks; in terms of outreach and engagement on the SDGs, the increase of active participation in the Network of small and medium Italian companies and the non-profit sector; regarding the programme of activities, the commitment to maintain a high level of attention on crucial issues that still have a strong potential, such as circular economy, sustainable supply-chain, corporate diversity management and the empowerment of female components within organisations.
Through her ideas and visionary ability, and thanks to her long experience gained alongside stakeholders committed to ethical and inclusive development, Bernacchi will certainly be able to give an important contribution to the Network in all the above-mentioned fields.»
The first event awaiting Bernacchi is the Italian Business & SDGs Annual Forum, whose fourth edition will be held on October 14 and 15 in Trieste with a comprehensive focus on “Innovationsupporting the 2030 Agenda”. Each year, the SDG Forum brings together more than 100 representatives of companies of all sizes and sectors of production, along with professionals from various institutions and the non-profit world.
