"Every human being has potential and should be given the chance to thrive" - Nicolò Sgreva, Europe Community Relations Director at UPS

About privilege, pride, and philanthropy

Born in Vicenza in northeast Italy, Nicolò grew up wanting to be an ambassador. To make that dream come true, he studied International Sciences and Diplomacy at the University of Trieste followed by a double master’s degree in International Relations, for which he moved to China, and then did an internship at the United Nations in New York. During that period, he was confronted by extreme poverty and death, volunteering at a refugee camp in Mozambique, an experience that touched him deeply. Following his studies, he wanted to volunteer again and did so, helping migrants and refugees in Mexico. It was there that he eventually started his career leading organizations to fulfill their philanthropic ambitions.

“I was born in a family that never struggled financially. We had a comfortable life and my parents made sure to forge me a path with many opportunities,” Nicolò says. “At the same time, they always encouraged me to use that privilege in service to others. My father led by example. After work, he gave back to our community leveraging his passions, for example, by being a member of the city council or training volleyball teams in the city. No one forced him to spend time helping others; I believe it’s a testament of good character. My father passed away several years ago, but when I think about what and why I do what I do, I still see him. He made me proud, and now, I want to make him proud.”

Thanks to our partnership with Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, UPS supports real inclusion and encourages UPSers to drive the change in choosing to include.

Nicolò is the Europe Community Relations Director for The UPS Foundation, the philanthropic arm of UPS. In this role, he’s responsible for identifying and managing social impact projects that align with UPS’s values and ESG goals, which range from environmental sustainability to access to healthcare and education.

“When I started working in a corporate environment back in Mexico and later at a not-for-profit, I discovered I was quite good at building strategic partnerships and creating mutually beneficial relations either for or with NGOs and local communities. What I like about my role at UPS is how fulfilling and varied it is,” he says. “Currently the earthquake relief UPS supports in Türkiye and Syria is at the top of my priorities list.”

But what about the diplomatic dreams he had as a child? “Dreams change. My values brought me to where I am supposed to be. Working in a corporate environment allows me to combine my ambition to grow professionally with my desire to give back. These two qualities are not always compatible in one’s professional life, but I am fortunate that my position allows me to combine them.”?

“There are a lot of issues Europe needs to advance on. Too often, people are still treated differently because of their race, sexual orientation, gender, socio-economic background, or abilities. Every human being has potential and should be given the chance to thrive,” he states when asked where he sees the most improvement on a DE&I level for Europe. “If I need to highlight one group right now, I’d choose people with intellectual disabilities. Often, we cannot tell someone has an intellectual disability just by looking at them, and even when we can identify someone else’s needs, it’s difficult for us to break the ice and properly include them. This may lead to inaction. Thanks to our partnership with Special Olympics Europe Eurasia, UPS supports real inclusion and encourages UPSers to drive the change in choosing to include.”

Alongside his daily tasks, Nicolò is also the driving force of two internal UPS Business Resource Groups: Future Leaders BRG and Pride Alliance BRG. “BRGs are a great way to get more educated on a variety of topics – from reputational management, the energy crisis and LGBTQ+ rights to our operations and the company strategy,” he explains. “It has also made my professional network stronger and my personal life as an expat more fun.”

No work without play: In his free time, Nicolò likes to expand his horizons – from food to cities – and has recently decided to reread all seven Harry Potter books. “Every time I go back to Italy, I bring back one of my books to Belgium. It gives me happy memories.”

Before wrapping this up, we gave him the chance to shout out to a fellow UPSer. “Of course!” he says. “I couldn’t do this alone. First, Esther Ndichu , who saw my potential and keeps on challenging me to deliver what really matters. The same goes for Cristina Falcone – she genuinely cares about our people and the business.”

“Last but not least, I’d like to recognize my peers in other parts of the world: Whilna Stewart-Franklin , Erika Vargas , Caroline Wanjiru Kiunga and Angela Wu . We’ve seen each other in-person only once and it honestly felt like reuniting with old friends. I’m very grateful to be surrounded by so many good people.”