Women. Young, STEM university graduates, professional women, women entering our supply chain for the first time or have their roots in steel, coming from families that have been in the business for several generations.

Women who are also mothers, wives, demanding corporate policies aiming at a new balance between work and private life. In the steel industry, as in other manufacturing sectors, 'the rules have been written by men for men'. It is therefore crucial to put women back in the centre. Or rather, start doing so again. Because women are the first half of the sky: without their strength, uniqueness, empathy, warmth, and leadership, even clouds would have no place. So let us go back, let us try to put them back at the centre, paying heed to a voice that has trodden paths that are not taken for granted.

"Economy is woman" wrote Smerilli. The steel industry is woman too, it can be, we just need to try and redesign the sky inside and above us.

Interview with Francesca Mannocchi – journalist and writer

A freelance journalist with years experience covering migration and conflicts in the Middle East, Mannocchi writes for L’Espresso, and collaborates with numerous other Italian and international news outlets
Mannocchi has reported from Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Afghanistan, and has won many awards for journalism including the Premio Ischia, Premio Giustolisi and Premiolino 2016. She was a finalist for Kurt Shork Journalism Award 2017, the Fetisov Award for Journalism in 2019, Premio Luchetta, Premio Ilaria Alpi, and the DIG Award.
Along with photographer Alessio Romenzi, she directed the documentary ISIS, Tomorrow, which was presented at the 75th Venice International Film Festival.
Her books include: Porti ciascuno la sua colpa [To Each His Own Guilt] (Laterza, 2019), Libia [Libya] with illustrator Gianluca Costantini for (INK Mondadori, 2019), Se chiudo gli occhi [If I Close My Eyes], with the illiustrator Diala Brisly (RoundRobin, 2018). With Einaudi in 2019 she published Io Khaled vendo uomini e sono innocente [I Khaled sell humans and yet am innocent], which won the Premio Estense, and in 2021, Bianco è il colore del danno [White is the color of damage]. Her most recent book is Lo sguardo oltre il confine. Dall’Ucraina all’Afghanistan, i conflitti di oggi raccontati ai ragazzi [A Look Across the Border: From Ukraine to Afghanistan, Today’s Conflicts Told to Children] (De Agostini, 2022).