Francesco Starace is the CEO of the multinational energy company, Enel, one of the 100 largest in the world. It is active in more than 30 countries on every continent. That's why it has a global vision of the crisis.
The company has launched over 120 aid initiatives, allocating about $65 million during this pandemic.
The principal measure is ensuring everyone, especially healthcare centers, has an electric supply.
Besides donating money, resources and materials to hospitals, it is helping small businesses like restaurants, hotels and stores that have closed in an effort to stop the pandemic.
FRANCESCO STARACE
CEO of Enel
“We do not cut power out of people that cannot pay their bills during the lockdown, for example, or help small shops have the lowest possible tariffs while they are not working.”
Company employees in Italy had the original idea to donate vacation days to co-workers unable to work.
FRANCESCO STARACE
CEO of Enel
“People donate vacation days for the other people that in the meantime are idle at home, and who can compensate their not-working with the donated vacation days.
I think it's a good way of showing solidarity across different colleagues.”
The restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus are forcing people to adapt to entirely different environments. Francesco Starace believes this has made people more responsible.
FRANCESCO STARACE
CEO of Enel
“We are becoming more skilled and more focused on what is important on the job. But then, as collective human beings, I think we are becoming aware that what we do in our private life, in our own choice, is important for the life of a lot of other people around us.”
The company's CEO looks to the future with optimism. He believes that because the economic crisis is not the result of a problem with the economic system, but of an external factor, it will be possible to restart society in a few months.
In the meantime, he is willing to continue helping.
JMB/CT
