Professional volunteering goes global: POLIMI Graduate School of Management launches the sixth edition of Leave Your Mark

In a context where non-profit organisations and, more generally, social economy players are assuming an increasingly central role in responding to collective needs, there is growing demand for managerial skills capable of strengthening their impact and sustainability.

This trend also affects younger generations: recent research by the TIRESIA research centre of Politecnico di Milano shows how young people’s interest in working in the social sector stems from diverse motivations. While nearly one in two people is driven by a desire for personal growth, 35% cite contributing to community wellbeing and operating in accordance with their values as key factors.

In this scenario, the non-profit sector is not only a driver of social innovation, but also a potential source of inspiration for future careers.

This awareness is the basis for Leave Your Mark, the initiative promoted by POLIMI Graduate School of Management in collaboration with the Gianluca Spina Association, which since 2021 has connected alumni, faculty and professionals from the School with non-profit organisations, offering pro bono advice on strategic issues such as fundraising, marketing, digitalisation, organisational development, innovation and communication. These skills are translated into practical tools, including business plans, marketing plans, organisational models, internal policies and development strategies tailored to each organisation’s needs.

“Leave Your Mark was born from a simple yet powerful idea: skills can generate social value just as much as economic resources”, comments Federico Frattini, Dean of POLIMI Graduate School of Management. “Through this initiative, alumni, faculty and staff offer their knowledge, experience and time to help organisations that face complex challenges every day and produce a tangible impact on their communities. It creates value for all involved and, today, thanks to its expansion, can become a model for collaboration on an international scale.”

Now in its sixth edition, the project is taking a major step forward. The 2026 edition marks the start of a new phase thanks to new partners, such as UPF Barcelona School of Management, and associations such as JEMP, the Junior Enterprise made up of students from Politecnico di Milano, with the aim of building an expanding network of managerial skills to serve social impact.

Over its first five editions, Leave Your Mark has involved 44 non-profit organisations, developed 59 projects, and mobilised 268 alumni, faculty and School staff members. From four organisations and four projects in 2021, the programme grew to 15 organisations and 20 projects in 2025, with over 120 participants dedicating more than 1,250 hours of pro bono consulting to participating organisations.

Over the years, Leave Your Mark has supported organisations active in social inclusion, health, international cooperation, education and culture. Among those involved are Medici Senza Frontiere Italia, Oxfam Italia, CESVI, Humana People to People Italia, Banco Alimentare, Dynamo Camp, FightTheStroke Foundation and numerous local associations.

The initiative’s value is evident above all from the concrete results generated. Among the projects awarded during Purpose Day 2025, Liberi Dentro stood out for transforming a volunteer experience at a prison into a more structured and replicable organisational model, ultimately leading to the establishment of a non-profit organisation. The FightTheStroke Foundation strengthened its ability to connect institutions, professionals and communities through a process focused on innovation and partnerships. Dynamo Camp developed new strategies to enhance its volunteer network and strengthen fundraising, generating significant results in impact and community engagement.

With the launch of its sixth edition and expansion to more business schools, Leave Your Mark aims to further extend its reach, progressively transforming into a platform capable of mobilising talent, expertise and academic communities to support non-profit organisations. Because leaving your mark means, first and foremost, putting your knowledge and skills at the service of those who can transform them into impact.