Auteur/autrice : Newsroom

Work-from-home and tools for flexible working time management, introduction of a session dedicated to women’s leadership within the Leadership Academy, a pathway for future managers, support for the psychological aspect for all the employees with focus groups dedicated to new mothers, conclusion of agreements with daycare centers. These are only some of the concrete initiatives, the ones that women really need, allowing Marcolin to earn the gender equality certification. An important acknowledgment, issued by the certification bodies accredited with Accredia, achieved after a challenging journey lasting a few years in favour of new inclusive and corporate welfare policies. And conducted based on specific indicators related to six assessment areas that characterize an inclusive and gender-responsive organization: culture and strategy, governance, Human Resources processes, opportunities for the growth and inclusion of women in the company, equal pay for both genders, parenting support and work-life balance.

« Our journey starts from afar, where diversity, equity and inclusion are considered strategic levers for business development and the promotion of an equitable and gender-friendly culture » said Sabrina Paulon, Marcolin Group HR Director. Because today women need not only solutions that allow them to better reconcile life and work, children and professional commitments, but also real opportunities for space, visibility and career. The same as their male colleagues. A topic that has been particularly close to the heart of this Company for many years given that, according to October 2023 data, that 62% of Marcolin’s people are women, of whom 40% occupy managerial positions and 50% have executive roles.

This acknowledgment (valid for three years and subject to annual monitoring) should not be considered a point of arrival, nor should it slow down the path undertaken so far. For this reason, the certifying body, during its assessment, also considered Marcolin Group’s establishment of a wide and strategic plan covering the period from now to 2025. A structured plan, including training sessions on the topic, new supports for parenting and work-life balance together with initiatives to promote fairness in selection processes and career development. And which is just waiting to be carried forward with commitment to achieve an ambitious and important objective, especially in our country: achieving a full gender equality.

You write it “ic! berlin” but you pronounce it the English way. It’s the innovative eyewear brand created in 1996 by eclectic Ralph Anderl (a designer, singer, photographer and musician) together with a couple of friends in a garage in Berlin. A cult brand in the 2000s (worn by celebrities of the caliber of Madonna, Brad Pitt or Dub Inc), it has grown exponentially ever since and today it has joined the Marcolin family. What’s its secret to success? Its clean-cut design, attention to detail and, most of all, temple material: screwless and weld-free ultra-lightweight spring steel obtained from a carbon-chromium-nickel alloy thanks to an innovative hinge system of which ic! berlin has the exclusivity. In other words, eyewear that is easy to disassemble and reassemble. Lightweight but at the same time very strong.

Minimalist, elegant and Berlin understatement, ic! berlin eyewear today is exported all over the world (in addition to its headquarters in Berlin, the company has branches in Tokyo and New York City); therefore, products can no longer be manufactured in a small Berlin lab like in the early years. Hence the agreement with a company like Marcolin, which, true to the DNA of ic! berlin, translates the brand’s spirit into an attitude that enables people to express themselves and their style freely, without following trends.

It is precisely thanks to these strengths that, in addition to several international awards, ic! berlin earned the SILMO d’OR in 2008 and 2011. Today it showcases its collections including Classic, Custom Fit, Pure Elements, Silk and Silk Pure and Flexarbon (which uses aerospace technology) and some more designer capsules. Among them the brand also boasts a collaboration with Mercedes-Benz from 2020. All the frames are very much loved by free and creative spirits, eclectic and curious personalities, who know how to look at things from new perspectives. Just like the actor Daniel Brühl, brand ambassador announced for 2024, among the protagonists of the movie « All Quiet on the Western Front » which won 9 Oscar awards in 2023.

As customer expectations grow, so does customer focus. And customer and employee trust, loyalty and satisfaction become the new keywords. It’s the philosophy firmly embraced by Marcolin that, since 2021, has invested in a new Customer Experience Transformation program. This is the name of an ambitious process that introduces solutions that help learn more about customer needs: from the first time they get to know about Marcolin products to their path to purchase up to the support provided during the business relationship. A project that, after two years of hard work, reached its first milestone in 2023.

«We started off with digital transformation, by introducing a CRM system aimed at tracing and improving all the customer interactions» explained Lorenza Biasin, who is Customer Experience Manager at Marcolin. «As regards customer touchpoints, for instance, we created a new e-commerce platform: it’s more than just a shopping site, it’s a gateway on services available 24/7 to meet the real needs of our customers. From the opportunity to chat with our Customer Service in case of an emergency to that of receiving information about their purchases in real time, such as the delivery route or time or processing status. We also provided our Customer Service with a technology that enables them to reply to customers faster and more comprehensively».

A key project that, however, is even more ambitious and challenging for Marcolin. «Since all the markets on which Marcolin operates were involved from day one, a variety of different needs were identified» continued Lorenza Biasin. «There are, for example, customers who prefer communicating with the company by email, others by way of agents and others by phone. In 2024 we will start measuring user response and we will further update the system to improve our partners’ experience». Taking country-specific elements into account and listening to customers, therefore, continue to be a priority, today and tomorrow.