Culture and sport in the pursuit of excellence

Love of culture, a passion for sport and keeping close to the community have always been part of Mapei's DNA. 

At Mapei, we are well aware of the values and ideals that sport and culture convey: passion, tenacity and dogged determination to keep on developing and improving. 

Sharing these principles, values and goals has gradually led us to interweave our own history with that of many entities in the world of art and sport, becoming active supporters of virtuous initiatives and projects.

So, just as a true artist would say that there can be no art without hard work, Mapei has always strongly believed that work can never be separated from art, as our founder Rodolfo Squinzi used to say.

With this firm belief in mind, we have helped promote and preserve culture, supporting important cultural institutions and supplying the expertise, technologies and products required for conserving and enhancing our artistic-monumental heritage.

By combining innovation with respect for tradition, we have helped invigorate and upgrade some of the most important locations in the world of art and culture, such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, Teatro alla Scala in Milan and Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, for the benefit of the entire community.

We live and breathe our commitment to sport with unwavering passion, always ready to take on new challenges.

It all started with our incredible venture in cycling epitomised by Giorgio Squinzi's motto "never stop pedalling" that inspires and encourages us to surpass ourselves in every field in which we operate.

Over the years we have supported athletes from the most diverse sports ranging from football, basketball, and golf to skiing and ocean sailing, and we are always open to new partnerships, since this is one of the ways in which we embrace sustainability.

Teatro alla Scala in Milan

Our heart is tied to Milan, the city where our company was originally founded born, so for us in particular supporting La Scala means promoting music, art, culture and the city of Milan. In 1984 we first signed up for a Supporters’ Subscription; our technologies and contribution to research were an integral part of major renovation and restoration works carried out on the theatre. In 2008 we became a Permanent Founder and from 2016 to 2019 Giorgio Squinzi was a member of the Board of Directors. 

Today, our relationship with La Scala continues in the form of continuing support for various prestigious art projects.

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Peggy Guggenheim Collection and the Guggenheim Intrapresae Project

When Mapei contributed to the renovation of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York by supplying its products and technical assistance, it was just the beginning of deep and lasting ties with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.

In the firm belief that culture can be a form of innovative corporate communication, we have been involved in the Guggenheim Intrapresæ project since 2008, the first and most important Corporate Membership project for an Italian museum that some of Italy's best-known companies are engaged in.

Since then, we have enthusiastically participated in various initiatives every year: from sponsoring the exhibition focused on the winner of the 1912 Paris Roubaix, a cycling race that is particularly important to Mapei, to being involved in the purchase of a latest generation optical microscope and contributing to the renovation of the façade of Palazzo Venier, the home of the Collection.

U.S. Sassuolo Calcio

Our main investment in sport is U.S. Sassuolo Calcio football club men's and women's football teams at all levels.

Initially envisaged as a way of supporting a ceramics district with which we are closely connected, our involvement in U.S. Sassuolo Calcio has grown deeper over the years since we share numerous important values and ideals: hard work, teamwork and, last but not least, the determination to take on new challenges.

Owned by Mapei since 2003, the men's first team has been promoted from Serie C2 to Serie A since we have been involved. It has now been playing in Italy’s top division for over ten years and even qualified for the Europa League in 2016. The 2024/2025 season will see the team playing in the Italian second division as it strives to get promoted back into the top flight once again.

In 2019 the Generazione S project was launched: a social responsibility project run by U.S. Sassuolo Calcio focused on young players, whose football careers and personal lives are developed with the aim of spreading the game of football as a tool for training, education and aggregation.

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Mapei Stadium

To support the team's training operations, Mapei took over Reggio Emilia Stadium on concession in 2013, which was later renamed Mapei Stadium - Città del Tricolore. 

While managing the stadium over recent years, we have carried out important works to improve and modernise it, turning it into a facility up to the highest international standards.

The stadium hosts sports, cultural and social events.

In addition to meeting the standards set by the Italian Football Association and UEFA, thanks to the Open Stadium without Barriers project, Mapei Stadium has become a symbol of violence-free football suitable for young people and families.

Mapei Football Center

Mapei Football Centre was created to support U.S. Sassuolo Calcio's sports activities and is now one of the most modern sports centres in Europe: 45,000 m2, 6 pitches - one of which with a covered grandstand - complete with changing rooms, a swimming pool, gyms and a medical/physiotherapy area. 

The centre, which is focused on first team and youth sector training, is also available for hosting amateur football and social events. A structure designed by Onsitestudio and built using Mapei products and systems that is LEED v4 BD+C certified.

To celebrate the hard work of two people who helped make Sassuolo the great sports club it is today, the access road to the Mapei Football Centre is dedicated to Giorgio Squinzi, while the synthetic grass pitch is named after Adriana Spazzoli.

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Cycling: unbreakable bonds

Mapei entered the world of professional cycling in 1993 when it became the sponsor of a UCI first division team. A team that was at the top of all the international rankings for many years, winning 654 races, including 4 Road World Championships, 4 individual World Cups, 1 Tour of Italy, 1 Tour of Spain and 5 team World Cups, becoming the most successful team ever. 

Our association with cycling is very much still alive. After the conclusion of our great venture with the professional team in 2002, we continued to support youth teams and other events, working closely with the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) on major events like the Road Cycling World Championships, for which we have been the Main Partner since 2008.

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Mapei Sport Research Center

Research also plays a key role for us in the field of sport. That is why we set up Mapei Sport in 1996, a service centre created to support the riders in the Mapei professional cycling team based on scientific rationality and a proper approach to ethics in sport. 

The Research Center is now a technical-scientific facility of the highest order providing assistance to athletes of all levels, not only professionals but also amateurs, so they can improve their performance through training programmes and multi-sector support.

The athletes carefully monitored by the Research Center include the teams and athletes sponsored by Mapei.

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Sailing with Ambrogio Beccaria

From 2022 we have been sailing the high seas alongside the ocean sailor Ambrogio Beccaria and his cutting-edge modern ocean sailing project Alla Grande as its Global Sponsor. We embarked with Ambrogio on this brave new venture on board ‘Alla Grande Pirelli’, a latest-generation Class40 yacht designed by three very young Italian engineers, an innovative vessel that aims to revolutionise the world of Italian sailing.

For us, sailing with Ambrogio is both a sporting and technological challenge.
It epitomises our desire to tackle new routes with our distinctive passion and determination and showcases our commitment to the environment through the innovations on board aimed at reducing the yacht's environmental impact.

Ambrogio has successfully taken part in some of the most important international regattas, always being one of the top finishers. 

Among his most notable results have been his second-place solo finish in the 2022 Route du Rhum, two-man victories in the 2023 Normandy Channel Race and Transat Jacques Vabre were unforgettable performances, as was his extraordinary first place sailing solo in the 2024 Transat CIC.

The Mapei Sport Research Centre also provides Ambrogio with targeted fitness training and sports medicine/nutritional assistance.

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A passion for sport

VOLLEYBALL AND BASKETBALL - We love teamwork

Since 2017 we have been the Special Events Partner of the Italian Women's Volleyball Cup Finals: a competition between the four best teams in the Italian Serie A1 and the two best teams in Serie A2, which takes place every year in an exceptional location.

Since 2015 we have been the Special Partner of Volleyball League’s Summer Tour, a summer event that entertains spectators on Italian beaches. The Sand Volleyball 4x4 travelling circuit sees Serie A volleyball players competing on beach courts.

We are also the Sponsor of Derthona Basket, a basketball club representing the city of Tortona whose first team currently plays in the Italian Serie A championship with its youth teams competing in categories up to the Serie B.

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RE STELVIO MAPEI - Everyone in Bormio for this annual summer event

Re Stelvio Mapei is a day dedicated to sport and nature but also an opportunity to celebrate our passion for cycling.

This unmissable event that sets off from Bormio and arrives at the summit of Stelvio Pass, has been organised in cooperation with U.S. Bormiese since 2015 and includes a series of events at all levels: a competitive cycling race, a running race and the Aldo Sassi Mapei Memorial cycling event and a cycling race for pedal-assisted bikes. And for those who prefer to stay in the same fantastic setting down in the valley, there is also the 18-hole Mapei Trophy golf competition organised at Bormio Golf Club.

If you are passionate enough, there are all kinds of opportunities for enjoying a wonderful experience in the company of so many others: that is why we also support various cycling events such as the Granfondo Squali, Tre Valli Varesine and Colnago Cycling Festival.

RACHELE SOMASCHINI - Running For Breath

Since 2018 we have been racing alongside Rachele Somaschini in the Italian Rally Championship.

Rachele is a driver who has won numerous titles and is always ready to go beyond her limits. Afflicted by cystic fibrosis, she started the #correreperunrespiro project, combining her passion for motor sport with the need to raise awareness and inform people about the importance of research into a little-known but widespread disease. An endeavour that Mapei admires and supports by sponsoring Rachele in a partnership based around shared values and goals.
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TOYOTA GAZOO RACING – On board the Toyota GR Yaris

Mapei is the Top sponsor of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team on board its brand-new GR Yaris Rally 2 driven by Giandomenico Basso, two-time European and four-time Italian rally champion. The team will be taking part in the seven stages of the Italian Rally Championship. Five of these races will also count towards the GR Yaris Rally Cup, Toyota's single-make championship.

Love of culture

THE VENERANDA FABBRICA DEL DUOMO DI MILANO – A firmly established partnership

We have been working with the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano since 2016 to enhance and protect the Duomo, the city’s landmark cathedral. That is why we decided to join the Adopt a Spire project focused on renovating the cathedral's 135 spires. 

As a continuation of this project, we have had a statue from the Duomo installed in our Milan headquarters since December 2022. We sponsored the restoration of this particular spire through the Adopt a Statue project. 

Drawing on our know-how and products, we also took part in the important restoration work on the Aquilonare Sacristy. This work was focused on restoring the cathedral’s oldest and most eye-catching room to its original splendour.

BAM – BIBLIOTECA DEGLI ALBERI MILANO - A space open to local people

We are closely tied to BAM – Biblioteca degli Alberi Milano – through lour shared goals of making Milan an increasingly beautiful place to live in the name of greenery, socialising and sharing. 

We are a partner in the flagship event on the annual schedule, the Back to the City Concert: an end-of-summer event that offer people an evening of great music.



ADI DESIGN MUSEUM - The history of design

Since 2023 we have sponsored an exhibition entitled "Lifetime achievement in Photography. Italian Photography’s tribute to the Masters of the Compasso d'Oro" Awards at ADI Design Museum. An exhibition of 151 images in poster format that is intended to not only be a tribute to the “Compasso d'Oro” Lifetime Achievement Awards, but also an opportunity to reflect on the link between design and Italian photography.

For us, this partnership is a way of getting involved in Milan’s cultural, reasserting our commitment to the local people and the surrounding territory.

MUSEO CIVICO SAN DOMENICO IN FORLÌ - The value of art

The partnership with Museo Civico San Domenico in Forlì began in 2016 and over the years has seen us involved in cutting-edge exhibitions with a high national/international profile as part of an ongoing journey through art, culture, fashion and literature. 
The most recent exhibitions included: "Maddalena. The Mystery and the Image", "The Art of Fashion" and "Pre-Raphaelites: A Modern Renaissance".

This partnership is based on such shared values as a love of art and commitment to charity work. Indeed, thanks to the contribution of MediaFriends, part of each year’s proceeds from the sale of exhibition tickets is donated to projects of great social value.

FAI FONDO AMBIENTE ITALIANO - Supporting and preserving Italy's heritage 

We are Corporate Golden Donor of FAI – Fondo Ambiente Italiano (The National Trust for Italy), a non-profit foundation established in 1975 along the lines of the National Trust, with the aim of protecting and enhancing Italy's historical, artistic and landscape heritage. 

Thanks to donations, inheritances or concessions from private parties, the FAI is able to breath fresh life into monuments or natural assets of acknowledged historical/cultural value, so everybody can enjoy them once again as they are restored to their rightful status as landmarks on their surroundings.

Commitment to the community

ARCHÈ FOUNDATION – Helping children and mothers in need

We have been working with the Archè Foundation for several years, as project launched by Father Giuseppe Bettoni in 1991 that helps vulnerable children and families become independent and find jobs and housing with the aid of support and care services. 

Every year we support the various initiatives promoted by the Foundation by making financial donations and providing free products and technical assistance for the construction and maintenance of its care amenities, such as Casa Adriana, the mother-and-child community named after Adriana Spazzoli.

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GOMITOLOROSA – Knitting Therapy

We support the Gomitolorosa Onlus Association and its knitting therapy projects for the well-being of fragile individuals. Part of our work involves getting our staff to make handicrafts to be donated to Onlus campaigns: from colourful muffs to be given to Alzheimer's patients to the creation of patches that are joined together to make 'Love bags', shoulder bags for cervical cancer patients.

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EMERGENCY – Health Care, a human right

We support Emergency's humanitarian operations that bring aid to civilian victims of war and poverty.

We partnered Emergency in the construction of its Pediatric Surgical Hospital in Uganda. The Centre of Excellence in Paediatric Surgery was set up in Entebbe to provide free, high-quality health care and reduce child mortality in Uganda and neighbouring countries.
Following three years of research and subsequent experimental tests conducted in cooperation with Emergency's technical staff, for this specific project we developed an innovative system for building the hospital structure based on the traditional pisé construction method.

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AIRC - Supporting research

We work alongside AIRC to support research work and talented young Italians. That is why we set up a three-year grant in 2022 named after Giorgio and Adriana Squinzi to back a project created by a young researcher in the field of oncological research. As of 2024 we will be co-funding two years of the My First AIRC Grant project.

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SAN PATRIGNANO - A Community of Life

Every year we take part in a charity auction in support of the work carried out by the San Patrignano Community. We have been supporting this community for some time now.

We have also supplied our products for various projects, including the creation of the 'Squisito' Food Lab, a farm-food facility providing professional training and self-support for the entire community.

Sport and culture from 1937 to the present day

Find out about our history and our commitment to the world of sport and culture.
Mapei with Guggenheim Intrapresæ to support culture

Firmly believing in culture as an innovative form of corporate communication, Mapei chose to become part of the Guggenheim…

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