International law firm Bird & Bird has launched "Together", a project which aims to study and reduce the gender gap in the Italian office through the involvement of men, whilst keeping a close eye on reverse discrimination.
The project was brought together by Afra Casiraghi, Claudia Ricciardi and Rossella Sansone (Associates, Milan). Italy Managing Partners Giovanni Galimberti and Raimondo Maggiore backed the project along with Chairman Massimiliano Mostardini.
To celebrate the launch, the Bird & Bird team in Italy hosted a conference in Milan with over 150 attendees. Speakers at the conference included:
- Prof. Michael Kimmel (SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies, Stony Brook University) defined by the Guardian as "the world's most prominent male feminist".
- Bird & Bird Chairman, Massimiliano Mostardini, who gave a panoramic view of gender gap situation in Italy.
- Elisabetta Sgarbi, Director and Founder of the publishing company La nave di Teseo. She presented an array of movies and artworks to illustrate the struggle of women to gain their independence and place in the world.
- Prof. Piergaetano Marchetti, Professor Emeritus of Law, Università L. Bocconi Milan, who gave an overview of history involving women, from the Austro-Hungarian code that ratified equality in inheritance, though the right to vote, to the legislation on divorce.
- Barbara Stefanelli, Vice Director of newspaper Corriere della Sera, who highlighted the importance of fathers being an example at home and sharing family responsibilities.
The conference is part of a series of Together events, workshops and seminars which will take place in 2018 and 2019. The team will also write and publish a report outlining the Code of Best Practice for Gender Equality.