Arriva Italia signed the Manifesto of non-hostile communication

First public transport company to adhere to the Decalogue of the Parole O_Stili Association created to promote respect and awareness in the use of words and digital tools

The number of companies choosing to promote actions in favor of inclusive communication that respects diversity is growing: Arriva Italia, among Italy’s leading companies in road transport, has in fact decided to adhere to the Manifesto of Non-Hostile Communication, the decalogue created by the Parole O_Stili Association, founded in 2017 with the aim of carrying out awareness-raising action to counter the violent use of words and aggressive communication on and offline.

Behaviors these that for more than 4 out of 10 Italians, also occur in the workplace, according to the results of the survey conducted by SWG for Parole O_Stili. In fact, the survey conducted on a representative sample of 1,200 adults from all parts of Italy found that while a majority of people (whose incidence is between 67 and 68 percent) consider their work team united, democratic, supportive and inclusive towards diversity, there still persists more than 40 percent who consider their work environment quarrelsome and oppressive. Arriva Italia is the first public transport company to adhere to the Non-Hostile Communication Manifesto.

The signing of the Manifesto is meant to be a concrete sign that follows a training course, also carried out in collaboration with Parole O_Stili, activated by Arriva Italia in 2022 and aimed at providing company leaders and managers with the skills to manage diversity at work by touching on different topics: from deconstructing prejudices, to good communication as a conciliatory tool, to conflict management and new organizational models to increase employee participation. An additional course, on the other hand, was lavished on Arriva Italy’s custumer care and ticketing operators, focusing on conflict management and how to behave in case of hostile users. The training course is part of Arriva Italia’s “diversity plan,” created with the aim of creating the best conditions within the company so that all employees can feel welcomed, valued and free to express themselves to the fullest. The multi-year plan includes strategic actions, for example training and communication, aimed at promoting cultural change within the company and in the communities in which it operates, while also encouraging targeted local initiatives.

Moreover, among the inclusion goals of an organization that belongs to a very male-dominated sector is that of increasing the number of women employed in certain roles, that of the driver first and foremost, through various supporting actions. Thus, adhering to the Manifesto is also an important step in the path Arriva Italia has started to promote inclusion policies within the company and externally, within the communities and territories in which it operates. On the occasion of the signing of the Manifesto, a meeting was organized this morning inside the Brescia headquarters, with the participation of Angelo Costa, CEO of Arriva
Italy and Lorenza Larese (Diversity & Inclusion Manager of Arriva Italy), together with the president of Parole O_Stili, Rosy Russo.

“Local public transport is certainly one of the areas in which relationships, with passengers, between colleagues and, in general, with the social contexts in which it operates, hold strategic importance for optimal service management. – explained Rosy Russo, President of Parole O_Stili – This is why we are convinced that Arriva Italia’s adherence to the Manifesto of Non-Hostile Communication represents a strong signal of how it is increasingly important to work together to spread an increasingly inclusive culture.”

“Public transport represents the very essence of diversity in that it is a service offered indiscriminately to everyone. Therefore, at the heart of Arriva Italia’s business and sustainability strategy are its people: both those inside, without whom the company would not be able to offer efficient and quality services, and those outside, namely the passengers who use our services. Diversity is a value to be protected and managed, because differences can generate extraordinary fruits but also conflicts,” said Angelo Costa, CEO of Arriva Italia.