Passion for sport
At Italgen, collaboration does not arise only in meetings or project teams. It often takes shape in more spontaneous settings, beyond the workplace. It is precisely in these moments that a shared passion for sport becomes the glue that strengthens relationships.
The movement that sets this virtuous cycle in motion is running. It began many years ago, when the company was still part of the Italcementi Group, and has since become an integral part of the company culture. A regular fixture is Italgen’s participation in the “Millegradini” event in Bergamo — both as a sponsor since 2016 and through the active involvement of employees. This non-competitive event, held every September, combines physical activity with the discovery of the city’s cultural heritage.
Directly organised by the company is “Italgen sul Serio”, a run-walk open to all. For one month, participants — employees and non-employees alike, athletes and enthusiasts — run or walk along the pedestrian path between Alzano and Albino, following the Serio river, sharing not only their times but, above all, their photos on social media.
Alongside these structured initiatives, there is no shortage of more informal sporting activities. Many Italgen employees spontaneously organise cycling outings, open-water swimming events, group runs and padel matches. As a result, it has become increasingly common to see at least one Team Italgen, often for charitable purposes, taking part in major races held on the roads and in the mountains between Bergamo and Milan.
Beyond passion and enjoyment, sport has also become a tool for creating value locally. Italgen has developed projects that combine sport, urban regeneration and sustainable mobility, leaving a tangible legacy for local communities. In Villa di Serio, where the company’s headquarters are located, Italgen contributed to the redevelopment of the local skatepark, which has been fully modernised through a public–private partnership and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities. Surrounded by greenery and located at the entrance to the Val Seriana cycle path, the skatepark is fully lit and accessible even at night, and has become a popular destination for skateboarders, roller enthusiasts and BMX riders both locally and beyond.
In Modugno, in the province of Bari, where Italgen has built two photovoltaic plants, the company has donated more than 20 hectares of natural parkland to the municipality, quintuplicating the green space available to residents. It has also developed a cycle-pedestrian path that runs through this new natural oasis and connects the park to the town centre. This route — equipped with information panels, rest areas and a panoramic viewpoint overlooking a lake formed in a former quarry — allows families, athletes and nature lovers to fully enjoy the area.
 |
 |
The link between Italgen and sport is also expressed through targeted sponsorships, with the company choosing to support athletes who embody its vision and values. Sofia Belingheri, a snowboard cross champion from Bergamo (a two-time Olympian, raised just a few valleys away from Italgen’s hydropower plants), was selected in 2023 as Italgen’s official ambassador. From intense training in the mountains to her infectious enthusiasm on social media, her way of embracing sport in harmony with nature reflects Italgen’s own spirit. The partnership with Sofia is seen by both parties as a natural choice, grounded in shared values and involving employees directly. Sofia has visited the company on several occasions and spent a day cycling with employees, riding from Italgen’s headquarters to the Selvino plateau along one of the historic climbs favoured by Giro d’Italia champions.
Equally remarkable is the connection established with Eleonora Delnevo, a mountaineer from Bergamo who, following a serious accident that left her paralysed, has continued to explore the world. Italgen has supported Eleonora since 2023, when the company backed her 1,200 km handbike journey across Patagonia — from El Chaltén to Ushuaia — also providing foldable solar panels and a power bank to ensure access to green energy in remote areas. This support has continued in subsequent projects: a 500 km canoe descent along the Yukon River in the remote Klondike region (2024), her expedition through the Verdon Gorges in France (2025), and a handbike journey across the Atlas Mountains in Morocco (2026).
Every sporting project — from cycle paths to major events, from sponsored athletes to runs among colleagues — represents a piece of a larger mosaic in Italgen’s journey. A mosaic that tells the story of a company born renewable, with the construction of its first hydroelectric plants in the early 20th century, and one that generates not only energy but also positive passions and shared value. From this perspective, sport has become not only a defining pillar of the company’s identity, but also a universal language through which to convey values, create connections and nurture shared passions.
 |
 |
 |
 |