OUR HISTORY

Founded in Trieste in 1981, SWG has been developing and producing with extreme care and precision market surveys, opinion and institutional polls, sector studies and monitoring centres, analysing trends and dynamics of the market, politics and society.

From its establishment up to the present day, SWG has been through a number of crucial stages of development, each one corresponding to different business and technological upgrades.

  • In 1987 it has been the first research institute introducing the CATI method in Italy.
  • Since 1997, SWG has been monitoring Italian society through a continuous Observatory of the Italian public opinion, a unique, complete and accurate stream of information to understand present reality and imagine future developments.
  • In 2003 SWG expanded the system towards CAWI audience and started experimenting the Web and the mobile channel among its community that nowadays counts more than sixty-thousand members.
  • In 2011, after thirty years, SWG historical shareholders decided to consolidate the company. Since then the entrepreneurs Adrio Maria de Carolis and Maria Cristina Salami control SWG and implement the company operational direction.
  • In January 2017 SWG included Field Service Italia, a company specialized in field research, creating a single entity promoting itself to the market with a complete and integrated offer system, leader in the Italian market.
  • Promoting and disseminating the contents of SWG, adding value to research projects by providing clients with an integrated communication activity: Kratesis, a strategic consulting and institutional relations company led by Roberto Arditti, was founded for that purpose in 2018.
  • In 2020 SWG, in collaboration with University of Triest and SISSA, formed Rachael, a start-up that integrates demoscopic research with big data and data science.
  • SWG, Kratesis and Rachael human and professional capital nowadays consists of more than 50 people working in Trieste, Milan and Rome offices.
  • Care and craftsmanship, constant innovation of tools, processes and contents, a reliability based on experience, methodological rigour, supervision of the whole process and on the professional ethics of our team: this is SWG identity dimension.
  • In December 2022, SWG became a Benefit Corporation under Law 208 of Dec. 28, 2015, to further strengthen its commitment to operate responsibly, sustainably, and transparently toward stakeholders, the local area, and the environment.
  • SWG S.p.A., consistent with the common benefit objectives incorporated in the company's bylaws and Code of Ethics, has obtained gender equality certification in accordance with UNI/PdR 125:2022 practice.
    The purpose of the Business Gender Equality Certification System is to promote the adoption of policies for gender equality and women's empowerment at the company level and thus to improve women's ability to access the labor market, leadership and work-life time harmonization.

The progressive information systems digitalization has shattered a paradigm that has been shaping the future of humanity for centuries. Nowadays, the lack of information is no longer the problem.

The real issue is how men and businesses can set free from information redundancy, distinguish what is important from what is unnecessary, find the appropriate ranking, translate numbers into words and, consequently, words into sustainable solutions.

Interpretation is vital. It has to be based on light equipment, fast yet accurate, capable of adapting to a continually changing reality but consistent. It must make tangible the links between past, present and future.

SWG aspires to stand out as for lightness, rapidity, mutability, accuracy and consistency and to provide answers and guidance to companies, political, social and institutional stakeholders. It is committed to face the new challenges posed by research by meeting four requirements that represent the company mission:

  • Offering its clients methodologically accurate researches carried out quickly and in compliance with rules of professional conduct.
  • Developing user-friendly products to satisfy the clients’ needs while supporting decision-making processes and targeting them to the action.
  • Enriching researches with significant information closely related to the emerging phenomena to enhance the information content far beyond the expected threshold.
  • Together with the traditional techniques of data analysis implementing leading-edge technologies thus promoting a cultural change and giving the client the opportunity to be always at the forefront of best practices.

PEOPLE

Valentina Bacci
Junior Researcher

She joined SWG as an intern in May 2023. Once she obtained her master's degree in Economics from the University of Trieste, she continued her career in the company as an apprentice in quantitative market research. Always ready to explore and discover something new, she loves spending her free time surrounded by nature and travelling.

Riccardo Benetti
Senior Researcher

Born in Vicenza, he graduated in Statistic Sciences at the University of Padua and granted a diploma in Trombone at the Conservatory "A.Pedrollo" of Vicenza.His heart has always been divided between these two big passions: research and music.In 2015, after important experiences with some international orchestras, he joined the SWG Institute as researcher.In SWG, he particularly deals with researches and analysis on political and electoral topics, customer and citizen satisfaction surveys for public and private bodies.When he is not working he loves staying with his nephews, travelling and tasting good food.

Francesco Biasiol
Chief Technology Officer

A pianist and a composer, he loves the contact with the audience and has been on stage - recitals and ensembles - in almost all European countries. His other two passions, mathematics and information technology, led him to SWG as digital innovation and community manager. He is now developing and integrating data science and big data techniques with the traditional research and the cultural and methodologic patrimony of SWG.

Giovanni Borghesan
Researcher

After earning a double degree in Sociology and Social Research in Trento and Tilburg (Netherlands), he collaborated in realizing different social research projects in the European context, where he specialized in the realization of international and comparative researches. He is particularly interested in surveys on politics and values. He has been working in SWG since 2021, where he mostly works on surveys and longitudinal researches.

Patrizia Bubola
AFC

She worked in several scientific organizations within Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, gaining significant experience in the administrative field. She has initially met SWG in the eighties working as interviewer. In February 2022 she joined the company again, within the AFC department. She loves spending her free time outdoors, travelling especially by camper and practising Nordic walking.

Sabrina Budai
General services

She works for the company's General Secretariat, operating, according to the situation, to promote "connections"...and to support initiatives functional to the achievement of the mutual dream.She loves being herself and never turns down new competences. After all, who can deny that the most effective solutions are the outcome of opinion sharing in real life and at work? Throw you heart, mind and reputation into it! That is Sabrina!

Federica Cantù
Senior Researcher

Graduated in Sociology at the University of Milan Bicocca in 2011, she recently joyned SWG, but she feels like sha has always been within the company. She kwows that she still has a long way to go and much to learn before being considered a "researcher", but, in the meantime, she puts dedication, precision and above all, passion in her job. She can handle the customers’ demands, even the last minute ones, with a smile and never loosing her heart. She is curious and loves reading and sweets.

Emanuela Catitti
Fieldwork Manager

Degree in Political Economy with specialization in "European studies". Working in Field Service Italia since 2013. Now Business Unit of Swg. Executive of quali and quanti studies both for domestic and international clients.

Roberto Ciccone
Senior Researcher

Graduated with a three-year degree in Sociology and a master's degree in Sociology and Social Research from the University of Trento. A keen methodological interest in Network Analysis and Quantitative Analysis. He spent a mobility period at the University of Linköping (LiU) in Sweden attending several courses related to Data Analysis with special attention to DCM, ABM, GDA and Big Data methodologies. In SWG since 2019, he has worked on social-political projects for both public and private entities.

Giulia Costantini
Junior Researcher

After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the University of Trento, she decided to pursue her education and specialization in quantitative methods and longitudinal analysis with a Master’s Double Degree program in Sociology and Social Research at the University of Trento and the University of Bamberg (Germany). Extremely curious and always looking for something new to explore, she is particularly interested in research concerning sociology of the family and several demographic issues. She is working in SWG since 2022 and she is mainly involved in socio-political, customer and citizen satisfaction surveys.

Adrio Maria de Carolis
President

Entrepreneur.At the age of 21 he set up Datanord Multimedia, which became the first Italian web agency.He later established, developed and managed a number of successful initiatives, including some listed companies, in the digital media sector. Among them, SoldiOnline, AudiNet, CairoNet, Doubleclick Italy and Dmail Group.Mowgli SpA founder partner.

Luciana Dello Russo
Director Segreteria Societaria e Ufficio Gare

Tender and Contract Office Manager, in SWG since 2003, she deals with the administration of documents, in particular the ones related to the submission to different kinds of tenders, both in the public sector and in the private one. She also deals with the corporate contracts and with the lists of suppliers maintenance.

Iolanda Di Pelino
Fieldwork Co-Director

In SWG since 1999, she is now Director of Research and CATI Fieldwork Manager.Within the research structure she deals with the training and employment national monitorings, managing the entire investigation plan: design and planning activities, works progress verification, data processing and delivery as well as final data reports drafting.As CATI Fieldwork Manager she is in charge of all the organizational and administrative aspects, including the preventive checking of the questionnaires’ functionality and fluency, the quality control of the interviews, the recruitment, selection, training, supervision and management of the detectors used in the surveys.

Alessandra Dragotto
Head of Research

PhD in Theoretical Mathematics at the Oslo University (2004), Master degree in Projective Geometry at Berkeley University (CA). Eleven years of experience with Swg. Coordinates all complex market researches on financial and insurance fields. She also implements statistical models of predictive data analysis, complex informational datasets as support for the research product, project and filed management, strategic and business counselling for communication and product development.

Marianna Falso
Office manager

She gained a degree in Communication Studies, she has a strong passion for creative writing and new media narrative.She’s always willing to new challenges, both privately and professionally.She has been working as a communication specialist for non-profit organizations and companies, in Italy and abroad.She has been working for SWG since February 2018 as an office manager, and she’s delighted to be part of a great team.She loves travelling and practicing outdoor sports.She is fascinated by smart and positive people around her.

Rado Fonda
Head of Research

A Statistical Science graduate who has been with SWG since 2003. He boasts previous experiences in information technology, statistics and social research, even at international level with the United Nations. A quantitative survey expert who also deals with political, social and institutional research. He has been involved with SWG works on local politics for a number of years, in addition to surveys on customer satisfaction, on productive categories and social issues like school, childhood services, poverty, senior citizens, etc. He has collaborated to the drafting of a dozen of SWG publications.

Maura Frescurato
AFC Manager

Born in Vicenza, she graduated in International Economics and Business at the University of Verona. Once moved to Trieste, she completed her professional internship becoming a Public Certified Accountant and Auditor. After various professional experiences in some multinational companies, she joined SWG in 2021 where she works in the Administration Department. She cannot stand still, so in her spare time she loves travelling and practicing outdoor sports.

Riccardo Grassi
Head of Research

Riccardo Grassi, sociologist, married with Francesca.He has been working in the social research field and for the experimentation of new solutions to apply to the welfare systems since 1997. He is author in numerous publications focused on youth and youth policy, including "Young people, religion and daily lyfe", Il Mulino, 2007.Research Director since 2012, he coordinates national and local surveys on social issues, young people and welfare services.

Manuela Intini
Junior Researcher

She receives her MA in Sociology and Social Research from University of Trento, after developing an interdisciplinary approach with the MSc in Equality Studies at University College Dublin. During her Erasmus at EHESS in Paris, she becomes passionate about qualitative research methods and she writes an experimental thesis on participatory observation of the caregiver-care recipient relationship in the home environment, for which she is awarded Valeria Solesin Prize in 2023. At SWG, she is primarily involved in qualitative research, which she complements with quantitative training.

Ludovica Leone
Senior Researcher

Graduated in Public Opinion Analysis at the University of Milan (MA), after completed the Bachelor in Philosophy at the same University.She has worked in Bologna as a researcher editing a work on socio-economic conditions of the Secondary School students and she has been employed in the childhood services field in Milan.She has joined SWG in September 2017 as quantitative researcher in the market research field.

Francesca Lettig
Senior Statistician

With SWG since 2001, carrying out different tasks including data processing, statistical analysis and CAWI and CAPI questionnaire handling.Currently in charge of processing and analysis functional to research.

Giulia Maggiola
Senior Researcher

Once obtained her Master’s degree in Statistics and Market Research at the University of Bologna, she returned to her beloved hometown, Trieste.She started working at SWG in February 2014 as an intern, and then she became an A.R.Rational and cerebral in nature, she knows that there is a solution to (almost) everything. Despite her analytical inclination, she loves reading and she is passionate about cinema – this is actually the place where she grew up and learnt to deal with the public.She could never live without her cats, Elvis and Margot, and her life companion, the little poodle Ugo.

Gabriele Monteduro
ICT Manager

Physics and information technology studies at Trieste University.Years and years of Web immersion and creation dedicated to the development of high potential cloud applications have earned him the title of “Drupal Guru".Even though he loves his job (especially when things work properly!), he sometimes turns the computer off to expresses his creativity through countless other activities...manual and relational.A robotics enthusiast, he is good at working with children: he is a kids basketball instructor, a religion teacher and does voluntary work.

Massimo Orbach
Statistician

Statistician, he has worked since 2003 at IT department and then in the Statistical Analysis predominantly in the field of customer satisfaction of multi-utility companies, but also in other projects such as Almalaurea or political polls.Currently, he takes care of the quality management in the community by providing support to the company's technology.

Maurizio Pessato
Vice president

His collaboration with SWG started back in 1990. Over the years he has been in charge of the sectors involving opinion, Public Administration and socio-economic polls, socio-political surveys and the regular Monitoring Centres by the company.ASSIRM vice president.

Maura Porcino
Qualitative Research Director

Degree in Marketing and Public Relations at IULM – Milan. She has been working for more than 20 years in market/marketing research.She has acquired a deep experience in qualitative research and motivational techniques, thanks to field experience and specific training and courses. She loves this job, so dynamic and diversify, never boring … Curiosity and enthusiasm are characteristics behind her style, optimism and determination, allows her to conduct every research as a challenge to lead to success.

Marina Preziosi
Fieldwork Manager

Fire inside, water outside. Martial Arts have forged her character, discipline and her constant desire of growing up and learning day by day; 20 years of experience at SWG have shaped her ability to face any project with a great passion and competence. The CAWI activities and supporting the SWG Communities are the bread and butter of her working days.

Fabrizio Puglisi
Community Manager

Degree in Phylosophy and Letters at "La Sapienza" University of Rome. Working in marketing research for Field Service Italia (today Business Unit of Field Service Italia) since 2003 at the first as researcher. Later since 2009 as supervisor of CATI interviewer team and CAWI keypunchers. Well-developed competence in statistics and working for love in information, responsible for programming, testing, and CATI, CAWI, CAPI script back-checker on both offline and online platform. Developer of data-entry tools, responsible for cleaning and alignment of data-files with the implementation of data cleaning, techniques and support for data processing and analysis.Favorite hobbies: traveling, dogs, technology.

Ilaria Repa
Researcher

After graduating with a BSc in Economics at the University of Trieste, she left her hometown to pursue an MA in International Relations at Durham University in the UK. She has her first professional experiences in Turin and Milan and she eventually returns to Trieste in 2023 joining the SWG team as a Researcher focused on quantitative market research. Curious, she loves cooking and good food (as a matter of fact she is married to a cook) and enjoys watching sport. She’d love to travel all the time and thanks to experiences living abroad she can count on friends spread all over the world.

Vincenzo Ricca
Research Director

Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Master's degree in International Trade Law and Finance has gained his experience in large international research networks and business consulting firms. At SWG, he is research director and head of qualitative research. Expert in motivational research models and in the design and coordination of field surveys, he operates as a "knowledge connector" providing strategic and business research based consulting to public and private companies.

Maria Cristina Salami
CEO

Manager boasting sound business marketing experience, especially in the publishing (Walt Disney, Rodale International) and consumer goods eCommerce (D-Mail Group, Mediashopping) sectors.

Alessandro Scalcon
Senior Researcher

Researcher and sociologist from Vicenza. Graduated in quantitative research methods and techniques at the University of Trento, his thesis was presented in Lausanne and Rome. Fascinated by any useful tool to formalize, measure and represent the regularities of social action; strongly oriented to interdisciplinarity. From 2014 to 2017 he collaborates in several surveys with the Quantitative Research Laboratory of the University and carries out research activities as freelancer in the italian North-East. From 2017 he works for Swg in Trieste, where he mainly deals with quantitative research on socio-economic issues.

Loretta Scipioni
Fieldwork Manager

In 2013 started to work with FIELD SERVICE ITALIA (Business Unit of SWG since 2017). Research executive for both quali and quanti studies, also for International clients. Well-acquired experience in different methodologies, amongst these: face-to-face, CAPI, CAWI, Mystery Client e Product Test.

Cristina Tont
AFC

She gained work experience as an administrative clerk in telecommunication and service companies. She joined SWG in January 2023 as a clerk in the AFC area, with focus on accounts receivable.

Gianluca Tonzar
ICT Manager

With his degree in "Business statistics and information technology" awarded by Trieste University, he delved into the world of Web Programming and proudly joined SWG's IT department, deciding to settle and work in this beautiful town.When he is not busy with his keyboard it means he is on the baseball field sporting number 11 and defending the third base, or in his trekking boots climbing a mountain track with his beloved Reflex camera.

Giada Vecchiet
Employee Segreteria Societaria e Ufficio Gare

Graduated in Law at the University of Trieste, she joined SWG in 2023 to support the Tenders Office. She deals with the preparation of administrative documentation related to public and private sector tenders and the maintenance of supplier lists.

Gianluca Vincenzo
Chief Financial Officer

Administration, Finance and Control Manager.

Irene Vitali
Fieldwork

After her PhD in Applied Social Sciences at Rome La Sapienza, she joined SWG in 2021 and is part of the CAPI fieldwork team for Italian and foreign clients. Curious and stubborn, her foremost passions include crime books and good food.

CODE OF ETHICS

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Organizational, management and control model pursuant to Law 231/2001 and Code of Ethics

SWG operates in compliance with the rules of the Code of Ethics adopted by ASSIRM, the association of research institutes, and has also implemented its own Code of Ethics which covers all the rights, duties and responsibilities of the Company towards all stakeholders. The SWG Code of Ethics aims to promote and forbid certain behaviours an goes beyond and is independent from the law provisions.

The company has adopted an organization, management and control model, pursuant to Law 231/2001 and drawn up in accordance with the guidelines provided by Confindustria, and has appointed a Supervisory Body to assess consistency, effectiveness and revision of the same model.