Businesses led by under 40s grow more and are more inclusive
President Luigi Gorza: 'We do not want a clash, but a pact for coexistence between generations. We can and must work together'
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Key points
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Companies led by young people grow more, hire more, are more dynamic and inclusive.
This is the picture that emerges from the Assembly 'Beyond leadership. The power to choose' organised on Friday 16 May by the Young Entrepreneurs Group of Confindustria Veneto Est - Metropolitan Area Venice Padua Rovigo Treviso.
Performance
."The data show that companies led by entrepreneurs under 40 recorded a 30.6% growth in turnover between 2021 and 2023, outperforming those with boards over 65 by 7 percentage points, and a greater propensity to hire: +20% versus +11%," said Luigi Gorza, president of the Group. Not only: 'They have an average Ebitda of 18.20%, i.e. 4 points higher, with exports as a percentage of turnover 8 points higher than those with leadership over 40. In addition, 72% of the companies led by under 40s are digitising processes, compared to 46% of those with boards over 40, and 68% invest in training compared to 44% of the over 40s'.
And on the sustainability front, "40 per cent adopt EGS standards compared to 24 per cent of the others. So companies with under 40 leadership, according to economic performance and social impact, grow faster, innovate more, invest in human capital and are more sustainable. So why are they declining?".
The obstacles
.According to Unioncamere's analysis, in Italy over the last decade the number of companies managed by young people has decreased by 24%, and in Veneto by 17.8%. Under the lens there are economic and demographic factors and obstacles of various kinds, with the insufficiency in the last ten years of policies aimed at supporting the birth and development of young companies, especially in manufacturing. "But there is also a cultural factor. In Italy, experience prevails over knowledge. In a good majority of companies, seniority is thought to be the main factor for promotion or recruitment. Consequently, many qualified young people, in order to find stimulating contexts, choose or are forced to look towards other countries,' emphasises Gorza, who promotes a pact for coexistence between generations and the creation of value.
