Lombardy Economy Observatory

Companies

In Lombardy, corporate welfare is becoming a strategic driver of business competitiveness

22 June 2026

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Collect best practices
The four key areas
The link to productivity
The growth of corporate welfare

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

With over 800,000 active businesses – of which around 316,000 are in the Milan metropolitan area, according to Chamber of Commerce data – Lombardy is the country’s leading industrial region and accounts for around 16 per cent of the national business sector. In this context, corporate welfare is increasingly becoming a tool for attracting talent, improving the quality of work and strengthening the competitiveness of businesses.

Compiling best practices

“We want to listen to businesses because the world of work is changing rapidly,” explains Simona Tironi, Lombardy Regional Councillor for Education, Training and Employment. “We have launched a public call for proposals – one that is of great importance to us – with the aim of gathering best practices in corporate welfare from Lombardy-based companies, which will be compiled into a White Paper.”

The initiative aims to pool the experiences already gained by local businesses. Companies can take part by completing an online form and sharing the measures they have taken to improve organisational wellbeing and their employees’ quality of life.

The four key areas

The aim of the call is to highlight and map the best corporate practices in the areas of workplace wellbeing and innovation in organisational models. Four key areas have been identified: attractiveness to young people, the right to disconnect, organisational innovation and a stimulating working environment.

These are issues that reflect the ongoing changes in the labour market, where younger generations are placing increasing importance on work-life balance, flexibility, the quality of the working environment and a focus on mental wellbeing. Against this backdrop, employee benefits are playing an increasingly central role in strategies to retain and attract talent.

The link to productivity

From this perspective, welfare is not regarded merely as a set of benefits, but as an organisational lever capable of influencing productivity and businesses’ ability to make the most of their human capital.

“The aim of the call,” explains Tironi, “is first and foremost to map out what already exists, by gathering concrete examples and solutions that businesses are already trialling. Over recent years, we have identified numerous initiatives across the country – often highly innovative ones – even in sectors where welfare schemes are traditionally less widespread. Only by starting with a detailed understanding of the models adopted can we better understand emerging needs and guide future actions.”

The case studies collected will be compiled into a White Paper, which will serve as a tool for disseminating and promoting the most effective practices, as well as a reference point for raising awareness of the issue within the business community. “The White Paper will enable us to systematise the experiences gathered and build a shared knowledge base on which to develop future initiatives” in support of the business sector. “Well-being at work,” concludes the councillor, “is increasingly a key factor in the competitiveness of businesses. Disseminating and sharing what already works means helping to strengthen productivity, attractiveness and the quality of work in our region.”

The growth of corporate welfare

Lombardy is one of the regions where corporate welfare schemes are most widespread. According to the latest Assolombarda report, which analyses companies operating in the Milan, Monza, Lodi and Brianza areas, around 68 per cent of firms offer some form of corporate welfare scheme.

The prevalence is highest in the industrial sector and increases with the size of the company. Among companies with over 100 employees, the proportion reaches 80 per cent, whilst it falls to 65 per cent among those with between 25 and 100 employees and to 54 per cent among those with fewer than 25 employees.