One year of Women in Plastics Italy

The Women in Plastics Italy (WIPS-It) association celebrated its first year of activity at Desenzano del Garda with an event that brought together members, companies, professionals and institutions to take stock of the association's first twelve months and share visions and new objectives. The broad participation confirmed WIPS-It's inclusive nature: not only women, but also numerous men and enterprises took part in the meeting, demonstrating a collective commitment to a more equitable, open and collaborative culture in the plastics and rubber sector.

Founded in October 2024, Women in Plastics Italy promotes the development of female talent and an inclusive and sustainable culture within its sector of activity. The association now brings together 160 members, both female and male associates, offering training programmes, networking opportunities, collaborations with the academic world and communication campaigns to promote a conscious and responsible image of plastics and their role in society. The 2025 annual meeting featured a rich programme of presentations and discussion sessions. The association reviewed its growth and focused on some of the activities carried out in the first year, also previewing some of the upcoming appointments for 2026, including workshops, training sessions and personal development opportunities.

The institutional address by Martina Semenzato, Chair of the Bicameral Commission of Inquiry into femicide, brought a significant contribution on the theme of gender equality and social responsibility, as well as on the importance of work and women's economic independence in combating all forms of violence. An in-depth examination of gender gap issues and awareness as a lever for change was then presented. The programme continued with an update on progress with the new WIPS-IT website and the topic of professional redeployment. A further panel dedicated to pathways towards equality brought concrete examples from the business world, whilst the session dedicated to dialogue with young people and the academic world opened up prospects for new educational and collaborative projects. The event concluded with a moment of synthesis, emotions and final farewells. Alongside the formal content, great emphasis was placed on networking moments, which represented a central element of the meeting, and informal exchanges were, as always, fundamental to fostering new relationships, sharing experiences and building an increasingly solid network.

"We are proud of what we have built in just one year: in one year we have reached a community of 160 professionals, a result that demonstrates the urgency and value of our mission. Even more significant is seeing that the Italian model is inspiring similar initiatives abroad as well. This confirms that we are on the right path", declared President Miriam Olivi.