On Saturday, June 8 and Sunday, June 9, the forecourt of Chiesi’s historic industrial site in Via Palermo hosted the Circularity Market launched by the Chiesi Group, in collaboration with CSV Emilia.
The idea was simple: to give new life to 75% of the more than 2,300 items, mostly furniture (such as wardrobes, desks, chairs, and chests of drawers) that were located at the Via Palermo site before the start of the extensive urban regeneration project that will culminate in the opening of Chiesi Gardens in 2028.
While these items are in excellent condition, space constraints mean that only 5% can be reused at other company premises. To address this issue and prevent waste, the Chiesi Group has launched the Circularity Market.
The Circularity project was strongly structured, both in its streams and in the target audiences it served. For the furniture donated – around 55% of the available items – the involved stakeholders included the residents of Parma (especially those in the San Leonardo district), third-sector organizations, and the field of education. Additionally, 20% of the furniture was sold to employees of Chiesi Farmaceutici and the commercial affiliate of Chiesi Italia.
“The Circularity Market was fueled by two concepts: that of circular economy, since we are talking about a micro-system that wants to leverage the sharing, recovery and reuse of objects. The other one is community because we aim to make a positive difference in the area where we work through specific actions. We pay special attention to the San Leonardo neighborhood, which has been our home since 1955 and remains the heart of the Chiesi Group, housing the production plant, Research Centre, and Headquarters. Circularity responds to the logic of creating shared value, which is integrated into the Chiesi Group’s strategic and business vision: it produces a benefit for the city of Parma and the environment. The Circularity Market contributed to further strengthening our connection with the local community and is a sign of openness, consistent with the development trajectory that we want to imprint on the Via Palermo of the future.”
— Dr Andrea Chiesi, Head of Special Projects, Chiesi Group
CSV EMILIA, FUNDAMENTAL PARTNER
The Circularity project was made possible through collaboration with CSV Emilia (Volunteer Service Centre). The Chiesi Group has been engaging in productive discussions with CSV Emilia for several years, as demonstrated by the corporate volunteering project that has been active since 2015. This partnership spans various levels, from identifying associations and Third Sector entities interested in receiving free furniture to managing the logistical and organizational aspects of the Circularity Market with the help of CSV Emilia’s volunteers. Additionally, the management of donations to citizens, Third Sector organizations, and schools were an important part of the project, as the items earmarked for the Circularity project by the Chiesi Group were available to CSV Emilia.
This is how Arnaldo Conforti, Director of CSV Emilia, commented on the initiative: “Circularity was yet another demonstration of how Chiesi continues to be an agent of development for the territory, capable of keeping its local roots alive and solid even though it has become a company with international scope. The Circularity Market was an innovative initiative that promotes citizen participation, inviting them to be an active and responsible part of the collective vision of their community. This activity represents a further step in a long journey that, for many years now, has seen us committed together with Chiesi to sharing values and strategies through concrete actions.”
