The President of the Republic, Ivo Josipović, today awarded the decoration “Order of Danica Hrvatska with the image of Blaž Lorković” for contributions to the economy to Sandro Veronesi, the founder and majority owner of the Italian textile group Calzedonia.
Veronesi recognized the potential for investment in Croatia during difficult economic times and significantly contributed to the development of good relations between Croatia and Italy through his actions, Josipović emphasized during the award ceremony. Veronesi is credited with successful socially responsible business practices based on ecological standards, as well as the development and modernization of the Croatian textile industry, Josipović assessed. His humanitarian work through the St. Zeno Foundation, which supports education and vocational training projects for youth around the world, is also significant. The President made the decision to award the decoration at the proposal of the mayors of Varaždin and Međimurje counties.
In expressing his gratitude for the recognition, Veronesi noted that in 1994, when he began investing in Croatia, employing 10 people who produced a range of beach items, he never imagined that his business in Croatia would reach today’s level of over 1,700 employees. In the future, he wants Croatia to become the basis for further growth of Calzedonia, both in production and sales. Calzedonia currently has four factories in Croatia, and the total investments of the group in Croatia are estimated at around 630 million kuna. (H)
