I was looking for a place to settle down. When we created the Feel transport campaign, we wanted to talk about the emotionality that comes from phrases like these, thoughts that don’t always correspond with your life when we talk about work. Quality Manager Alfonso Alan Carotenuto is one of those people you need to know if you work there.
A degree in Food Science and Technology qualifies him as Torello’s Quality Control Coordinator, and two things are clear in his professional path: a before and after that coincides with the start of the pandemic to act as a watershed. A first of many wonderful experiences in the multinational food industry. All over Europe. One after that, in Torello, he discovered an ideal dimension of “sharing,” as he put it.
He imagined a more human-scale dimension for himself after becoming aware of having developed skills and experiences in “business” contexts. Because the professional path coexists with personal life.
Torello’s relationship with me. When he was born and how he grew.
We were in the midst of the first lockdown, and I felt compelled to make contact with my personal life. In a note, I came from a nine-year experience. It is a multinational corporation that has given me the opportunity to broaden my vision across many industries.
Each person had to be aware of all the realities around him, while also being aware that his work is being shifted into a much higher gear. Within this scenario, however, I discovered a winning mental approach that trained and tempered me as a professional.
I decided to run for Safety Manager in Torello because I wanted to be closer to my hometown of Torre del Greco. I saw a way to combine my professional and personal lives.
The experiences and skills listed on the CV were not decisive; perhaps it was the feeling I got during the interview, when I found myself in front of a family, at the relational level. There was a more human, almost equal relationship, which is one of the concepts that is reinforced to us on a daily basis through the example. A completely different approach than the companies where I previously worked.
Torello has three adjectives.
Involvement. This is a trait that is more closely associated with the Family.
Umberto, Concetta, and Antonio are the first to roll up their sleeves; they force you to participate while protecting your shoulders at all times. And this is something I enjoy doing because by being involved in all of the company’s dynamics, I can feel like I’m a part of the whole.
Their desire to engage you demonstrates a high level of trust in the professional, because if you are in a certain role, it is because you have been given a trust that is renewed on a daily basis. It’s a one to-one relationship: they believe, and you believe. And that’s exactly what I need because every time I interact with a client, I am representing the company.
Elasticity. Each figure can be used without the use of septa separators. Your work is always in symbiosis, which I see in others as well.
There are so many factors at work in transportation that the most important feature that I can consider is elasticity, also known as sensitivity to change. When I think about my role, for example, there is an evolution in food safety, and here at Torello, I found the best way to express it given its flat structure, and by flat structure, I don’t mean an unstructured company, but a company where there is direct contact with the property. What does this mean in practice? If you have a problem or a project, you can propose and evaluate it right away because there is less time to wait for approval. There is a reaction. Better, I dare to say, proactivity.
Pride. First and foremost, they wish to remain in Montoro, on their own turf. But you can see it everywhere, especially in the desire to always create something unique, such as our business card.
It begins with the assumption that if we customize, if we can build something that will leave our mark, something that will reflect more of the Torello personality, we will be able to leave our mark.
It’s the only way to go a little bit further and meet the change.
The beauty is that change occurs as a result of maintaining family unity as you grow. It was not difficult for me to understand that the Family remains steadfast in its values, and what it looks for in the people who are a part of the Torello project is that these values are not lost by losing what has made the company great. This is the only aspect on which they are unwilling to “bargain.”
The position was held. Personal vision and accountability.
The goal of any discussion about food safety is to establish boundaries. That is not the case; it is not simply enforcement! What I’m trying to say is that food safety is not a constraint, but rather an added value that we can provide to the product and thus to the customer. We can manage to respect both the rules and the customer’s relationship.
One of the roles I’m expanding focuses on the close relationship, or correlation, that exists between the quality team, the sales department, and the tender unit. We are the second point of contact with the customer after sales. However, this is insufficient. I have a strong sense of responsibility, so I want to hear directly from the client. In this regard, I cannot fail to exercise proactivity, which leads me to consider the customer’s need as an incentive to always find the best solution. I’m collaborating with others to involve as many people as possible in various functions, so that everyone can maximize the effectiveness of their work.
It’s a bit like coffee, you have to find the right blend to get the best flavor.
Would you still accept this position?
Yes, 100 more times, and the last two years have only reinforced this notion. Torello has encouraged me to continue on this path where, with repetition, growth gains nothing.
