First Disability Management Program Launched in Taranto, Southern Italy

First Disability Management Program Launched in Taranto, Southern Italy

The project "Inclusione accessibile: promotion and Disability Management services for Taranto companies" has officially started at the Acclavio Civic Library, marking the first experimental Disability Management initiative in Southern Italy aimed at improving labor integration for people with disabilities.

The initiative provides companies with tailored consultancy, specialized audits and training programs calibrated to company size and sector. Local participants at the opening included Telerperformance, Comes, Cisa, Programma Sviluppo, Errepi Net, ITS Academy Mobilità and Yilport.

The program results from a strategic collaboration between institutions and employers, involving the Active Labour Policies section of Confindustria Taranto, the Puglia Regional Guarantor for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Municipal Guarantor for Disability Rights of Monteiasi, Programma Sviluppo and the Federation of Disability Management (Fe.D.Man).

• Multi-level training for managers and staff;
• Consultancy and audits to adapt workplaces and processes;
• Strengthening of local Disability Managers;
• Evaluation of interventions and creation of practical toolkits and information desks.

Organisers stress that inclusion is a lever for social sustainability and competitiveness: turning regulatory obligations into strategic value enables companies to recognise talent, reduce barriers and optimise human resource management. Antonio Giampietro, Puglia Regional Guarantor for Disability Rights, highlighted the key role of Disability Managers in facilitating welcoming workplaces.

Silvio Busico, president of Confindustria Taranto's Active Labour Policies section, described the program as a practical path to match labour demand and supply, while Haydèe Longo, president of Fe.D.Man, noted the federation's expanding role representing professionals across Italy.

The initiative also aims to ease compliance with legal obligations and access to fiscal incentives, with the broader goal of turning diversity into a strategic asset for the territory's competitiveness and social sustainability.