Charlotte Vitalo

This summer I had the chance to intern for 5 weeks with Aquafil, a leading Italian multinational company focused on the development and production of circular textiles, at their HQ in Arco, Trentino. This was an incredible opportunity for a multitude of reasons. I was able to witness in practice much of what I have learned as a Business and Global Affairs major with regards to multinational operations, and was particularly inspired with the company’s genuine commitment to sustainable business. Aquafil uses 100% renewable electricity, and 60% of their production is completely circular – meaning it can be recycled an infinite amount of times (for anyone interested, I recommend reading their sustainability report.) Also, given that the work was 100% in Italian, I was able to challenge and largely grow my command of the language. On a project level, I contributed to the organization of a 500 person company-wide development initiative in partnership with the Italian government and Deloitte Italia. I also contributed to internal communications, and was granted the opportunity to visit different teams [Finance, Internal Audit, etc] to understand what they do. I formed incredible personal relationships at Aquafil, and was truly welcomed by all there. The food at the company cafeteria was another plus! Life outside of work was quite idyllic. Everyday I biked 20 minutes through mountains, vineyards, and alongside Lake Garda to get to and from work. On the weekends, I was able to spend time relaxing by the lake and engaging in water activities, visiting nearby towns by train, and spending time with friends, new and old. I am incredibly grateful to have had this opportunity to learn and grow in so many dimensions.