How pride and belonging generate social impact
Today, companies are no longer merely organisations, workplaces, or economic players whose status is measured solely by figures and revenues. Organisations and businesses have a crucial role to play: creating social value that contributes to the development of the communities in which they operate. And this is certainly a source of pride.
Among State Street’s values, alongside the motto “stronger together”, is the aspiration to be a company that goes beyond business performance and becomes both a “global force” and a “local citizen” — in other words, a global organisation that acts as a responsible citizen at local level.
“State Street is a global financial institution: pride means, first and foremost, taking pride in our results, the quality of our services and client satisfaction. Pride also means a sense of belonging — not only to the company, but also to the community in which it operates,” said Paola Pirra, Head of the Project Management Office and Chair of the local Corporate Citizenship Council at State Street Italy. “This sense of belonging is fostered through initiatives that support employee wellbeing and inclusion, volunteering activities and partnerships with non-profit organisations, with the aim of generating social impact as well.” This is where corporate citizenship comes into play.
Under this model, a company’s success is no longer measured solely by financial results, but also by its ability to promote inclusion, support volunteering, invest in education and contribute to collective wellbeing. The purpose of the State Street Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, is precisely to reduce inequalities in access to education and employment for disadvantaged people through partnerships with local non-profit organisations.
“A socially responsible company encourages people’s engagement, strengthens public trust and generates a positive impact on society,” explained Paola Pirra. “Corporate Citizenship programmes translate this vision into tangible action: charitable grants to organisations that promote access to education and employment for vulnerable people; paid leave for company-sponsored volunteering or activities chosen by employees; and a ‘matching gift’ programme that recognises volunteer hours and personal donations.”
As Pirra highlighted, corporate donations, the Matching Gift programme and volunteering are valuable examples of how social commitment can be a fundamental part of working life. In 2025, employees at the Italian branch recorded more than 2,000 volunteer hours, whose positive impact was amplified by donations to the beneficiary organisations. In addition, the Foundation provided financial support for training and employability programmes for young people from other countries, people with mental health conditions and women.
“These are valuable tools that amplify the impact of individual commitment, making every employee feel part of something bigger. Personally, for example, last year I had the opportunity to take part in a mission to distribute food parcels in refugee camps on the border between Turkey and Syria, together with colleagues from around the world. It was an intense experience that I would never have been able to undertake on my own.”
Taking an active role in a volunteering project enables people to connect beyond their professional roles. Pride therefore stems from the sense of belonging created both inside and outside the workplace, because building inclusive workplaces means helping to create tangible activities and opportunities that foster belonging and social impact. Corporate pride is not a slogan to display on a particular day, but a daily commitment strengthened through consistent, lasting, targeted and socially measurable actions.