Dynamo Academy, a social enterprise born from the experience of Dynamo Camp

Beyond the numbers, it is the methodology that truly reflects the tangible impact of the project. The Dynamo Recreational Therapy approach provides leisure and enjoyment and, according to a study conducted by Yale University together with SeriousFun Children's Network and its Camps around the world, including Dynamo Camp, parents reported the following positive changes in their children after their Camp experience: 78% showed increased self-confidence; 73% increased self-esteem; 81% greater maturity; 76% increased independence; 72% greater interest in participating in social activities; and 79% greater openness to trying new activities and experiences.

Dynamo Camp is also a unique place: a purpose-built facility located in an exceptional natural setting, on the edge of the WWF-affiliated Dynamo Oasis, managed according to principles of conservation and environmental sustainability. Shortly after opening in 2007, during periods when children and families were not attending the Camp, the venue began hosting companies for corporate meetings and events. In these contexts, companies consistently expressed interest in learning more about the social project based there. This led to the creation and subsequent development of Dynamo Academy, which today designs and delivers projects focused on the common good and social impact generation within communities, specifically for businesses. In 2025 alone, more than 8,000 people took part in its activities.

Dynamo Academy today: supporting businesses
Cohesion, the ability to embrace diverse perspectives and interests, fostering a culture of listening, and placing people at the center are all core values for companies seeking innovation and value creation. Understanding and inclusively managing diversity has become essential in redesigning workplace spaces, services, and business processes. Training, volunteering, and community engagement are key tools for driving cultural transformation within organizations, improving workplace environments and people’s wellbeing.

Dynamo Academy operates in the consulting and training sector, promoting culture and projects characterized by strong innovation, while supporting companies in generating social impact both within their communities and internally. Its goal is to help businesses develop a corporate culture that respects and promotes the wellbeing of all employees and groups. Its main areas of activity are Experiential Learning, Advisory, and Education.

Through Experiential Learning in particular, the Academy enables companies to experience the Dynamo approach firsthand and share it with their stakeholders through programs designed to foster both individual and collective growth. All initiatives are developed with a strong focus on corporate social responsibility and are tailored to each client’s specific needs. Activities are carried out according to the Dynamo Method®, which places people at the center and actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Within this framework, the Advisory and Education areas support companies and leaders through structured programs aimed at integrating social sustainability and shared value generation into corporate strategies. The Advisory area offers tailored consulting services, helping organizations transform social challenges into concrete opportunities for innovation and development through established methodologies and qualified partnerships. At the same time, the Education area — also as a training agency accredited by the Tuscany Region — provides educational programs for managers and professionals, with the aim of spreading skills and culture related to ESG, DE&IB, and responsible leadership.

Every activity is designed to generate tangible impact, improve workplace wellbeing and teamwork, and transform engagement initiatives into opportunities for growth and inspiration. These experiences strengthen employees’ sense of belonging, improve communication, increase motivation, reinforce corporate culture, and reduce conflict. Among the initiatives with the greatest impact on employee wellbeing is Corporate Engagement developed through the Dynamo Method®.

Best practices in workplace wellbeing
Some projects with companies arise independently, while others develop following an initial collaboration in support of Dynamo Camp. Often, these actions become interconnected. This is the case with the collaboration between Dynamo Academy and Gatti Pavesi Bianchi Ludovici, a law firm, initiated through the experience of one of its founders, Francesco Gatti, who is both a supporter and volunteer of Dynamo Camp. His personal experience as a volunteer — particularly in volunteer training — led to the realization that the volunteer training model, with its focus on values, teamwork, and attention to others, including psychological aspects, also had significant potential in the corporate world. He therefore sought to introduce it within the firm. Following an initial experience in 2024 at the Milan and Rome offices, by the end of 2025, 160 employees had participated in a two-day program specifically designed by Dynamo Academy to work on team building and strategic vision regarding equity and inclusion.

The collaboration with Barilla also developed after the company became familiar with the Dynamo world through its support of the Foundation. The project created with Dynamo Academy involved multiple levels of the organization and focused on designing a new building with particular attention to accessibility and fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion within the company. In December 2025, the BITE center was inaugurated in Parma, where Dynamo Academy designed accessibility solutions and provided staff training.

Among projects developed for large international corporations, Nippon Sanso participated in 2025 and 2026 with 160 employees in a program combining training and experiential activities — including radio, archery, and theater workshops — together with inclusive leadership training focused on shared values, trust, and wellbeing, with special attention to building healthy, motivating, and collaborative workplaces.

The work of Dynamo Academy always begins with culture and reflection. One meaningful example in this regard was a project developed together with Scarabeo on the value of words as tools for connection, focusing on terms associated with socially driven action: integration, barrier, creativity, challenge, and bridge. These are concepts from which any reflection or initiative aimed at generating social impact can begin.