THEn Italy the “Buoni Sole” initiative arrives, promoted by La Roche-Posay, which aims to make the sun protection a right for those who work outdoorsproposing to companies to include it among the benefits, like safety devices. A project born from real data: millions of workers are exposed to UV rays every day, but skin protection is not yet considered a necessity in the workplace.
Those who work outdoors are more exposed (and more at risk)
In Italy, beyond 4 million people work outdoors: construction, agriculture, fishing, transport, often exposed to intense solar radiation for long periods. Essential professions that however involve a prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) raysamong the main risk factors for skin cancer. An even more significant criticality if we consider that these workers present a significantly greater risk than those who work at
closed, and over half say they do not use any form of protection. Despite this, sun protection is rarely included among standard workplace safety measures.
As he explains Stefania GuidaAssociate Professor of Dermatology at the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University of Milan«Outdoor workers are much more exposed to UV rays, resulting in an increased risk of developing skin cancer. Yet, sun protection is not yet systematically integrated into workplace safety practices.” A fact that becomes even more significant if you consider that over half of these workers say they do not use any sun protection.
While companies are required to provide protective equipment such as helmets and safety equipment, sun protection remains largely overlooked, left to individual initiative and often paid for by the worker.
“Buoni Sole”: how the initiative works
The heart of the project is simple, but potentially revolutionary. “Good Sun” It is inspired by the meal voucher model already widespread in many European countries and applies it to skin health.
In practice, companies can directly provide sun protection products to exposed workersintegrating them into daily supplies. It is therefore not an awareness campaign, but a concrete organizational modeldesigned to be adopted on a large scale.
The initiative is structured as a system B2B: the companies choose to include sun protection among the benefits and safety measures, making it accessible and continuous, without leaving it to the individual responsibility of the worker.
From pilot projects to diffusion in companies
To test the model, the project has already been started with some pilot companies in Italy, active in sectors with high solar exposure: Irritecglobal leader in irrigation systems, Caneva World Resortamong the main water and leisure parks, Lands of Aenoran agricultural reality oriented towards sustainability.
In the first year, the initiative provides complete coverage of the summer season for beyond 350 workerswith the distribution of more than 5,000 solar products. But the central point is not the initial supply. The companies involved have committed to make this practice structuralintegrating it permanently into benefits and work routines starting from the following years.
Sunscreen: Why It’s Not Yet Considered “Safe”
The contradiction is evident. On the one hand, companies are obliged to provide personal protective equipment to reduce risks. On the other, the Sun protection often remains an individual responsibility.
Yet i Damage from UV exposure is not just cosmetic or temporary. They can be cumulative and silentand manifest themselves even after years in the form of skin lesions or tumors. Prevention, in this case, is simple: protect your skin every day. But for this to really happen, a change of approach is needed.
From individual to collective prevention
In recent years, dermatology has increasingly emphasized the importance of considering sun protection as an integral part of public health. Not only on the beach or on holiday, but in everyday life. The “Buoni Sole” initiative fits precisely into this passage: transform an individual gesture into a shared responsibility. The declared objective is cultural even before practical: make sun protection a standardas already happens with other security tools.
Prevent today to avoid problems tomorrow
The science is clear: according to the World Health OrganizationtheChronic exposure to UV rays is a major risk factor for developing skin cancer, and the risk increases with time. For this reason, protecting your skin is not an occasional gesture, but a long-term strategy. Integrating sun protection into work contexts means:
- reduce the risk of disease in the long term
- improve daily working conditions
- raise awareness of real risks.
A cultural change (even before a practical one)
The central point is precisely this: turn sun protection into a shared habit. No longer something to remember only in summer or on holiday, but a daily gesture, especially for those who are more exposed. Because skin health is not a detail. It is a fundamental part of overall health.