Capitalism with a human face in the Italian countryside?

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Workday until 5:30 pm, ban on email on weekends and own theater - billionaire Brunello Cucinelli made the Italian village of Solomeo a symbol of capitalism with a human face

In 2018, Alphabet, which owns Google, once again topped Forbes' Best Employers Rankings. So the employees themselves decided: the list was formed on the basis of a survey of 36,000 employees of various companies. Google staff are motivated, among other things, by free dinners, a gym, dedicated sleep pods and games rooms. However, give Brunello Cucinelli five minutes of time and he will convince you that the best working conditions have been created at his company for the production of men's and women's clothing, located near the city of Perugia, in the heart of Italy. And even though Brunello Cucinelli employees cannot relax in the middle of a working day at slot machines, they have at their disposal a medieval fortress, an 18th century organ, orchards and a vineyard.

Brunello Cucinelli headquarters Brunello Cucinelli headquarters DR

Cucinelli likes to say that the main goal of his life is to create a company based on respect for human dignity. He chose the village of Solomeo as a springboard for the implementation of his plans. “I am a businessman and I want the business to be profitable,” says Cucinelli. “But at the same time, I strive to ensure that my business grows in accordance with the laws of morality.” Believe it or not, the business of a man who considers Aristotle and St. Benedict as his teachers, not Warren Buffett or John Keynes, has turned out to be extremely successful. Last year, the turnover of the Italian company Brunello Cucinelli exceeded $ 503 million, and the fortune of the "cashmere king" is estimated at $ 1.6 billion. Today the company employs about 1,600 people, many of them live in the village of Solomeo, whose lands Brunello Cucinelli bought in 1985.

Brunello Cucinelli headquarters Brunello Cucinelli headquarters DR

With his own money, the businessman restored the houses of local residents, a church with an old organ, pavements, opened a library, and built a theater. Brunello Cucinelli is located in the vicinity of Solomeo, where Cucinelli introduces the principles of humane capitalism. The working day of any Brunello Cucinelli employee, regardless of position and department, starts at 8 am. The lunch break lasts 1, 5 hours, and all work stops at 17:30. Overwork is not encouraged, business correspondence outside of working hours and even more so on weekends is prohibited. Cucinelli explains this by the fact that he does not want to steal from his employees the time that they can spend on spiritual development or communication with the family.

Theater built by Cucinelli in Solomeo Theater built by Cucinelli in Solomeo DR

Brunello Cucinelli does not believe in urbanization and believes that the future belongs to provincial cities, in which people can be alone with nature and their own thoughts. He explains: “I was once told that working in the countryside is incompatible with the current speed of life, but the growth rate of our company suggests otherwise. I am confident that the development of Internet technologies will reverse urbanization and people will begin to return to the small towns and villages that they once left. After all, modern technologies allow you to be in touch with the whole world, while remaining in your home harbor. We have proven that you can build a successful business without sacrificing harmonious coexistence with nature and yourself. A supportive environment, decent pay, a sense of responsibility and mutual respect are what I consider most important in the work of Brunello Cucinelli. And I hope that other businesses will eventually be able to learn from our successful experience."

We do not have a company of vineyards, but my master capitalist made everything easier. He simply handed out certificates to all employees to receive a raise based on the profits of the entire company. Moreover, the percentage depends on the personal rating for success at work. I personally have 0.02 percent. On average, this gives me $ 500-600 per month in addition to my salary. Although the percentage is personal, but I am very interested in the total profit, and if any of the workers starts to drive me up, I will be the first to tell him, they say, dude, you are stealing my money. Moreover, regardless of his position. With this system, the company has tripled over the past year and increased its turnover fivefold. Yes, I forgot to note that almost all financial documentation is available for viewing by any employee on the server. At least all the key points. Income, expenses, sales … You can estimate in advance how much the premium will be. Sometimes the income is large, but there were also a lot of expenses. Let's say we bought cars or some equipment we need. For all, the premium will be significantly less. But no one is outraged, so everyone can see where the money went and it was a necessity for the normal existence of the company.