Aeroporti di Roma (ADR) has chosen IVS Italia and the BreakCotto project to manage the vending service inside the executive offices of Fiumicino Airport — not just a vending solution, but a social commitment.
The launch of this initiative aligns with World Autism Awareness Day (April 2), a UN-recognized date that reminds us of the importance of building a truly inclusive society and supporting the rights of people on the autism spectrum.
BreakCotto was founded in Turin over 10 years ago by IVS Italia and the Chicco Cotto social cooperative. Today, it’s a national model for inclusive vending, employing people with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals in offices, schools, hospitals, and companies across Italy.
At the ADR headquarters, 24 IVS Italia vending machines now serve coffee, drinks, and snacks — and for the first time, a newly hired colleague on the autism spectrum will be fully dedicated to restocking them.
BreakCotto already has more than 20 people, including employees and young people in training through the school-work alternation project, and is selecting another 16. Specialized teachers and tutors introduce them to the world of work in accordance with their psycho-physical abilities in order to enable them to acquire every phase of the process: from supply to replenishment, from maintenance to reporting. In this way, they are all engaged in a structured path to acquire the technical and relational skills necessary to operate professionally within a competitive supply chain, bringing quality and determination to the world of breaks like any other business.
“We’re proud ADR chose us,” says Andrea Bonsignori, President of BreakCotto. “This isn’t just a service — it’s a chance for people who are often left out to grow, learn, and bring their unique strengths to the workplace. Every young person involved in BreakCotto is a story of commitment and achievement. We have built a team of professionals who compete on the market with the same determination as traditional companies, but with an added value: the beauty of diversity. We hope that our model can be an example for everyone”.
Thanks to their commitment, the BreakCotto team, together with other social enterprises, flew to New York last June to participate in the annual Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, held at the United Nations. This international recognition testifies to the strength and value of a project that looks to the future with courage and pragmatism.
More recently, on October 14, 15 and 16, 2024, the BreakCotto boys were busy at the G7 of Ministers responsible for disability and inclusion, taking care of the vending machine at the G7 venue during the event: breakfasts and coffee breaks were prepared and served directly by them.