The Importance of Non–Profit Organizations

If you search for non- profit organizations, you will get several definitions and facts. Many have the mindset of looking at non-profit organizations just with the view of religion and charity. It may be partly true. However, there is more to it. Most of the non-profit organizations are formed with the motive of providing services to the people which the government does not cater to. Or if the government helps the specific group, the level of help is not all inclusive. Different kinds of organizations help people in many ways.

There are many types of organization, which work with welfare motive. Some such organizations extend their services around the country. They work hard in collecting donations and contributing it equally among the people who need it.

  1. Education

Many organizations that work with non-profit motives have initiated in setting up schools in the interior areas of the country. They do not expect any fee or charges from the people in that area. However, volunteers do contribute money in many ways. The services done by non-profit organizations help in educating children in rural areas, which results in a high literacy rate.

  1. Disasters and Tragedy

Some organizations mainly help people in case of problems like facing emergency or other issues. They collect money from volunteers and donate to the affected people in the form of sanitary, shelter, food, and clothing. In cases like this, many companies and businesses tend to give a high amount of money to the victims through non-profit organizations.

  1. Treatment 

Apart from providing financial support, such organizations offer treatment for the poor free of charge or a lesser price. They help in building hospitals and recruiting doctors. Furthermore, they also conduct many programs to make people aware of diseases and other things they should be careful about. As an example, they do awareness programs about HIV and aging. Sometimes they set up free clinics and medical camps to give treatments for the elderly population.

  1. Offer Jobs

As an organization, it needs employees to assist in providing services. So these organizations create job opportunities for many people. As an example, some organizations set up grocery stores selling products for a lesser price. So they recruit people to work at the grocery shop. Moreover, they also help other jobless people in finding jobs in companies and other areas of interest. Due to an increase in job opportunities, the rate of crime decreases in the country.

  1. Developing 

You might have seen some organizations volunteering to build infrastructures, such as providing facilities for communication, transport, and lighting. They do not limit their services just with that, and they extend their help by teaching the people in interior areas about the technology and how to use the technology and power effectively.

Wrapping Up

By reading the above facts, you must have understood that non-profit organizations do not provide services for a limited number of people. Instead, it contributes to making the world a better place. As humans, we must also help the needy by holding hands with non-profit organizations.

SMEs and business risk: why it is important to make sure

The world today has profoundly changed. And this is not new. Progress and growth in the twentieth century were linear and constant, but in the 21st century nothing can be foreseen , nothing is clear. Especially if we talk about companies, today, the risk is very high and the questions that many entrepreneurs ask themselves are: are they able to deal with the damages for my responsibilities? To protect my employees? What kind of economic protection does my company have if production remains steady?

In short, there is no venture without risk, but not all risks are good. In fact, there are speculative risks that are physiological and good (ie those risks linked to future events that can increase or reduce the value of the company, eg launch of new products, new markets, financial investments) and there are risks pure that are, so to speak, bad (that is, non-competitive risks connected to sudden events capable of reducing the value of the company, eg fires, accidents, civil liability).

And it is precisely starting from the bad risks that companies have to acquire greater awareness and protect themselves . By unpacking the concept, protecting your business means:

•     Protect financial capital ;
•     Protect economic capital ;
•     Protect capital assets ;
•     Protect human capital ;
•     Protect cultural capital ;
•     Protect the fiduciary capital ;
•     Protect civil capital .

To protect all these aspects the entrepreneur needs to take out an insurance policy : but what are the arguments that drive him to secure his company? Insured SMEs can access credit with lower average rates and have a better credit-to-loan ratio . Moreover, for the companies that assure the production processes, the contingencies do not impact on the heritage , but only on production (but this can also be guaranteed).
On the other hand, unforeseen PMIs double their negative consequences, impacting both on production and on the ability to repay the contracted debt or require additional financing for the repair. It is clear, from this simple analysis, how important it is for entrepreneurs to insure their company and not manage contingencies on their own.

Specifically, there are 3 types of integrated coverage to protect business income. Let’s see them in detail.

Protection of invested capital

The protection of invested capital refers to the protection of material productive factors and of production continuity . In simpler terms, every entrepreneur relies on the machinery, on the various plants, on the logistics for the productivity of his company: in case of unexpected damage, how can he prepare the economic resources necessary to buy new machinery , or fix existing ones, and resume the production activity as soon as possible? Thanks to a protection of the invested capital, the company can cope with this need.

Protection against civil liability

The civil liability of a company refers to the responsibility that the carrying out of the activity has in respect of damage caused to third parties : for example, a mistake by employees , damage caused by a defective product, an unexpected product produced by the building. These damages are difficult to quantify , unlike the damages that affect the company assets, and without adequate insurance coverage they can represent a huge risk for the assets.

Protection of human capital

A company goes forward only and thanks to the resources that the entrepreneur decides to put in place for the achievement of business objectives. It is necessary to protect and  protect the workforce in order to face the situation if injuries , illness or death are necessary . The insurance on human capital also help to create welfare in the company, they manage to retain the employee and make him feel part of a reality that cares about its tranquility and its effectiveness on the job.

In conclusion, company safety is an important point not to lose the continuity of production that guarantees constant growth , both for companies and for workers.

Franchising marriage agency

What is a marriage agency today
First of all I would like to start talking to you about what we mean today when we talk about opening a marriage agency or agency for singles. Forget the announcements of meetings that were published in the newspapers quite a few years ago but also the online dating sites. A meeting agency today addresses not only those looking for the first companion or partner for a life or widowers, but also for those who are single following the end of a previous relationship. In reality, marriage agencies today are more than anything else meeting services that can be of interest even for those in search of new knowledge or friendships, and therefore also for purposes other than marriage.

In this guide I will refer to the marriage agencies with a physical office, which can therefore be visited in person by the client. However, this does not exclude that the activity can also be accompanied by an online service , both as regards the specific aspects of the meetings, and for a series of additional services that sometimes complement the simple meeting activity, such as events or holidays.

Why open a marriage agency?
Maybe you’re wondering if it really makes sense to open an agency for singles right now. Perhaps your doubt stems from the fact that it is commonly believed that singles can more easily turn to the net than to a physical agency.

This doubt is more than justified, but only represents reality in part. In fact there are many reasons that push a person to go to a marriage agency to not consider online dating sites. In the first place, for some people it is important to be able to meet a person live , from the earliest stages of knowledge.

Secondly, not everyone and not everyone trusts online meetings, for fear that they may hide ill-intentioned people or for fear of being involved in some scam. This does not mean however that opening an online marriage agency is impossible, or even less, discouraged.

If you prefer the online
Although in the previous paragraphs I spoke exclusively of opening a franchising marriage agency , considering only live agencies, this does not mean that it is not recommended to open an online dating agency. If your decision focuses on this decision, it is likely that you will have to deal with lower costs for opening the business (you will not have to worry about finding the most suitable venue, for example). Some franchisors offer this possibility directly, while others are geared to physical agencies only. Read on to learn more.

Requirements to open a marriage agency
Now I want to address a question that is often asked when I talk about how to open a new franchise business: what are the requirements to start up the business? From a legislative point of view, it is not required that you have any qualifications or qualifications. This means that everyone can really consider this idea for a franchise business.

Open a franchise pharmacy, how to make and list top franchisors

Parapharmacy and pharmacy: what differences?
Before explaining to you how to open a franchising pharmacy I would like to take stock of what is meant by parapharmacy and what the law provides for this particular type of sales point. First of all, parapharmacy can be interpreted as a “quasi pharmacy”. The substantial difference between the two types consists in the fact that the parapharmacy is not authorized to sell and prepare drugs subjected to the sale only by prescription.

In other words, parapharmacy is therefore authorized to sell only drugs that do not require a prescription and over-the-counter drugs. However the parapharmacy can sell products for wellness and beauty , such as cosmetics, products for children, or even food products for particular groups of the population, such as those for celiacs, diabetics or low-calorie foods. Parapharmacies are also authorized to sell most veterinary medicines.

The presence of parapharmacies is possible in Italy following the so-called “liberalization decree” of 2006, which allowed for a widening of the commercial possibilities for many products, including pharmaceuticals. As we will see later, the sale of drugs, even if over the counter, cannot however be carried out by anyone.

Why open a pharmacy?
As you will have had the opportunity to understand in the previous paragraphs, the goods on sale in the parapharmacies are not limited to over-the-counter drugs, but include a large slice of products dedicated to wellness and beauty . This sector represents a good opportunity for those who intend to open a new business, as it is aimed at a very large slice of the population, and for this reason the chances of success are quite high.

Another aspect in favor of the opening of a franchised drugstore derives from the preference by some people for treatments and remedies different from those of western medicine, which can be marketed in parapharmacies, such as phytotherapeutic or homeopathic products. The possibility to expand the sale to health accessories and to host spaces for analysis, self-analysis and consultations in the parapharmacy premises, are finally other aspects that can make you understand how the possibilities of attracting customers are really high for this type of activity.

Open a parapharmacy: not just for graduates
At this point I guess you’re wondering if a degree is needed to open a pharmacy. It may surprise you, but the answer is no. In fact, starting from the aforementioned liberalization decree , anyone can open a pharmacy. However, if you do not have a degree in pharmacy, you will necessarily need the help of a pharmacist to sell drugs. This means that the owner may not be in possession of the degree, but in this case he will have to consider the need to collaborate permanently with one or more registered pharmacists.

Open a franchise furniture and design store

Furniture and design: from magazines to our homes
Until a few years ago, furnishing a home with refined furnishings or design elements was fortunate that not everyone could afford. Today, with the advent of commercial chains and with the diffusion of design brands, having sophisticated furniture or possessing design objects is within the reach of many more people.

The attention dedicated to the furnishing of the home, offices or commercial spaces is receiving increasing attention, as evidenced by the success of magazines or TV broadcasts and social channels focused on this aspect. The number of signs and furniture and design brands has also increased over time: this is why opening a franchised furniture and design store could be a successful idea for your business project.

Open a furniture and design shop: the shops are not all the same
So far I have talked in general about design and furniture stores, but as you will imagine, not all furniture stores and brands are the same. The offer is really varied: in fact, it goes from the latest in design to the classic furniture shops , in poor art, in country or shabby chic style , with frequent mixtures of these styles. As you will have understood, the world of furniture is really very articulated: for this reason I suggest you to focus on a style or on a typology of furniture that you appreciate the most, in order to create an activity really in line with your interests.

From this point of view, franchising is a big help. In fact, there are many brands to choose from in these sectors and it will not be difficult for you to find the one that best represents your idea of ​​furniture or design. I’ve selected some for you, but I’ll talk about it in a few paragraphs. Now I want to focus instead on the requirements that you should have to open a franchising design or furniture store .

Open an MBE franchise: news and financial benefits

Who is and what does Mail Boxes Etc.
Mail Boxes Etc. was founded in 1980 in San Diego, California and, the first pilot center in Italy was born in 1993 in Milan, after the acquisition of the MBE brand by Graziano Fiorelli. Since 1993 the network has reached more than 500 Service Centers in Italy and over 2,500 Centers present in 44 countries thanks to the acquisition, in 2017, of two American companies with similar offers: AlphaGraphics and PostNet.

Mail Boxes Etc. is one of the largest Franchising Service Centers that deals with printing, communications, shipping, graphics, micro-logistics for both companies and individuals. In particular, MBE centers are managed by independent entrepreneurs who are constantly supported by a team of experts, in order to offer their customers, mainly composed of small and medium-sized companies, support for the development of their business.

Open an MBE Franchise: the new facilities provided
On the occasion of the 33rd Milan Franchising Exhibition, the MBE will announce a new agreement with Banco BPM that will give the possibility to those who intend to open an MBE Service Center to be able to request subsidized loans to start the business. Thanks to this agreement, it will therefore be possible to request financing on favorable terms in order to open a Service Center as well as having the possibility of contacting the bank and having an appointment in which solutions will be proposed in reference to the arrangements agreed between the bank and MBE. This type of product is called Flexible Unsecured Financing and will meet the needs of the MBE Franchisees through customized solutions that can be summarized, for example, in the structure of the amortization plan, the installments and the day of the month in which to charge them.

“ Thanks to the agreement with Banco BPM, the MBE Franchisees will be able to request, on favorable terms, financing products deemed suitable for the financial support of investments related to the Service Centers of our Network. They will also have the opportunity to contact the bank directly and quickly obtain an appointment with the most convenient branch, where the various possible solutions will be presented based on the specific arrangements agreed between MBE and the bank “, explains Fabrizio Mantovani, Business Development & Support MBE Director.

In addition to this new agreement, Mail Boxes Etc. had previously signed other agreements in support of both the already operating centers and the new affiliates, which concerned subsidized loans with an unsecured loan and with Grenke , a product that allows affiliated entrepreneurs to hire the assets for the preparation of the Center instead of buying them. Also, on this occasion we will be presented the development plans throughout the country as well as the characteristics of Franchising Mail Boxes Etc .

Incentive bingo: youth employment and NEET

Good news on the incentive front for the companies they hire . Employers who in 2018 decide to enter into a permanent contract with a young person within specific age limits could find themselves benefiting from a double benefit : that provided for by the Budget Law 2018 and the one established by the Youth Guarantee program . The two incentives, in fact, by way of derogation from the general rule of non-cumulation with other tax breaks and social security benefits established by both the provisions that govern the rules, can be combined .

However, it is necessary to comply with the conditions and limits of each measure, which in any case have a common rule: the employer must operate in compliance with the general conditions set out in art. 31 of Legislative Decree no. 150/2015 . For the youth employment incentive it is also necessary that the employer in the 6 months preceding the recruitment, has not proceeded, in the same production unit, to individual dismissals for justified objective reason or collective redundancies . This condition is not required for the recruitment of a young NEET (ie who does not work or study), but this measure requires compliance with the de minimis regime .

In both cases, recruitment must take place on a permanent basis, even part time and also in administration, but for young people under Law no. 205/2017 employment with a professional apprenticeship contract is not allowed, but allowed for the employment of NEETs.

There are also different age limits and conditions:

•     18 to 29 years old for young people (34 years only for 2018). The young person must not previously have permanent employment contracts , with the sole exception of the apprenticeship periods not followed by confirmation in the company and of any relationships that have allowed the partial application of the incentive in question, for which the new the employer can benefit from the residual period (so-called portability); 
•     from 16 to 29 years for young people enrolled in the Youth Guarantee program , with the warning that, if the young person is aged between 16 and 24, the limits established by the European Regulation (EU Regulation n.1407) must be respected /2013).

The recruitment can take place even if the limits of the EU regulations have been exceeded, but the incentive can be used only if the employment involves an increase in net employment that must be maintained for the entire duration of the benefit. If the young person is aged between 25 and 29, in addition to the increase in employment, it is required that the young person should be without regular paid employment for at least 6 months or if he / she does not hold a 2nd degree secondary school diploma. or a qualification or diploma of vocational education and training or have completed full-time training for no more than 2 years and has not yet obtained the first regularly paid employment, or is still employed in professions or sectorswhich present a rate of male-female inequality at least 25% higher than the national average.

With the incentive of young people, the employer can enjoy for 36 months the exemption of 50% of social security contributions against him within a threshold of 3,000 euros per year ; for the employment of NEET, however, the exemption is 100% of social security contributions , within an annual ceiling of 8,060 euros and 12 months .

In the lucky case in which all the requirements are presented, for the first 12 months it is therefore possible to use both incentives, applying primarily the partial exemption provided for by the Budget Law 2018 , up to the limit of 3,000 euros set for each month. , for the remaining part , the employment incentive NEET .

Cash payment of employees prohibited since July 2018

From 1 July 2018 , as approved by the Budget Law 2018 , it will no longer be possible to pay cash salaries . Currently the cash payment of salaries, as well as all cash transactions between different subjects, is prohibited if the amount is equal to or higher than 3 thousand euros. This is the limit set by the anti-money laundering legislation in force in our country. With the new financial maneuver, employers are obliged to pay salaries with traceable means . The ratio of the norm is the contrast to the phenomenon used by some entrepreneurs: to make a pay slip higher than the amount actually paid to the employee. The new law establishes that it is forbidden to pay the wage in cash any amount, even less than or equal to 3 thousand euros .

The means of payment allowed , according to c. 910, they are:

•     bank transfer to the account identified by the IBAN code indicated by the worker;
• electronic payment instruments ;
• cash payment at the bank or post office counter where the employer has opened a treasury current account with a payment order;
• issue of a check delivered directly to the worker or his delegate in the case of proven impediment. The delegate can only be the spouse or the cohabitant and the family members in a straight line or collateral, provided they are over 16 years old.

Proof of payment does not constitute proof of payment by the worker on the paycheck , for which proof of payment is provided by the receipt of the transfer, by the photocopy of the check or by another bank or postal receipt. The obligation applies to all employment relationships referred to in art. 2094 of the Civil Code, excluding public employment and domestic work. It is applied regardless of the duration and the methods of execution, to each employment relationship originated from coordinated and continuous collaboration contracts . It applies to employment contracts established in any form by the cooperatives to its members pursuant to Law 3.04.2001, n. 142.

The new rule does not apply , however, for scholarships , for the activities of company director , or even with regard to the payment of compensation for occasional self-employment .

The Government will have to stipulate with the main trade unions of workers and employers, the Italian Banking Association (ABI) and the Poste Italiane company a convention with which to identify the tools to promote the correct application of the law. For employers and customers who violate the traceability regulations, an administrative fine will be applied from 1,000 to 5,000 euros.

First aid and fire prevention: clarity on the role of the entrepreneur

The National Labor Inspectorate (INL) provides operational indications on the correct application of the provision referred to in art. 34 of Legislative Decree 81/2001 , concerning the direct execution by the employer of the tasks relating to safety and first aid , including evacuation during emergency situations. Andrea Sterli , lawyer and speaker of Centro Studi Castelli , a business, tax and administrative consultancy company, intervenes to clarify the picture . 

The art. 20, c. 1, lett. g) Legislative Decree 151/2015 has modified the art. 34 of Legislative Decree 81.2008 and, in particular, abrogated the c. 1-bis (introduced by Legislative Decree 106/2009) which allowed the employer to carry out first aid tasks , as well as fire and evacuation prevention, only in companies or production units employing up to 5 workers . 

With the circular n. 1/2018 , the INL decided to provide some operative indications for the correct application of the aforementioned art. 34. In particular, the INL has specified that the faculty, now extended to the employer also employing over 5 employees , to take over the first aid tasksfire prevention and evacuation (with the exclusion of the companies in any case considered to be at risk pursuant to Article 31, paragraph 6), does not mean that the employer can perform these tasks alone, or that he is exempted from specific obligations envisaged (always by the employer) by art. 18 of the same legislative decree. 

Specifically, attention was drawn to a couple of passages of art. 18, which states that the employer has the obligation to “designate the workers in charge of the implementation of fire prevention and fire fighting measures , of evacuation of the workplace in case of serious and immediate danger, rescue, first aid and, in any case, emergency management“(Article 18, paragraph 1, letter b), and has the obligation to” take the necessary measures for the purposes of fire prevention and evacuation of workplaces, as well as measures for the case of serious and immediate danger “ . These measures must be appropriate to the nature of the activity , the size of the company or production unit and the number of people present “(Article 18, paragraph 1, letter t). A reference is made to art. 42, c. 2, according to which ” for the purposes of the designations referred to in art. 18, c. 1, lett. b), the employer takes into account the size of the company and the specific risks of the company or production unit “(Article 43, paragraph 2).

In light of the regulatory framework, the fact that the employer, after adequate training, can carry out the activities described above, does not imply that he can operate in total autonomy in the performance of these tasks: the employer, in fact, must use the workers in charge of the implementation of the aforementioned measures , which must be designated in an adequate and sufficient number, in compliance with the provisions of art. 43, c. 2 Legislative Decree 81/2008. 

Occasional self-employment: here are some clarifications

After the repeal of the vouchers , one of the possible alternatives for not losing an effective and flexible tool for the life of the entrepreneur is the occasional self-employment ex art 2222 CC . Let’s try to clarify with a deepening of Giorgia Granati , DTL consultant for the Centro Studi Castelli . 

One of the aspects of self-employment benefits pursuant to Article 2222 of the Civil Code, with VAT number or withholding tax, concerns the significant elements in order to exclude the desire to conceal the relationshipto the Public Administration. One of these elements is the documentation of a social security nature , where the ratio exceeds 5 thousand euros of total annual compensation. 

Regarding the other elements, the circular of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies No. 38/2010 was pronounced , which specified the relevance, for the purposes of the non-applicability of the maxi sanction , of ” valid fiscal documentation ” where the provision of occasional self-employment pursuant to art. 2222 CC is retrained as a subordinate work serviceduring the inspection.  

It should be specified, on the point, that ” valid tax documentation “, such as to exclude the application of the maxi sanction is meant the required tax documentation (payment of withholding taxes through F24 , accounting records and statement of mod 770 ) produced in relation to the period under investigation . 

Therefore, even self-employment for which a regular withholding tax has been issued , transcribed in the mandatory tax documentation, can not be considered a black-and-white job., despite the redevelopment of work performance as a subordinate work service: in this case, it should not, therefore, come to the application of the maxi sanction. 

In particular, circular no. 38/2010 has thus specified: ” the inspection staff will impose the maxi sanction in the absence of documentation useful for a verification of the alleged autonomy of the relationship “. This documentation must obviously refer to a period prior to the assessment : an aspect specified by art. 4, c. 1, lett. a) and b) L. 138/2010 (which amended Article 3 of Decree Law No. 12/2002, converted into Law 73/2002), determining the application of the so-called “maxi sanction”in the case of employment of subordinated employees without prior notification of the establishment of the relationship by the private employer “, unless the previously fulfilled contributory obligations, the intention is not to conceal the relationship, even if it is a question of different qualification “. 

The rationale of the law is to link the application of the maxi sanction to the existence of services of a subordinate nature, taken in place without compliance with the obligations of disclosure required by law or in the absence of the related contributory obligations that still highlight the desire not to conceal the relationship. Confirming, if necessary, the nature of the additional sanctioning measure of the possible maxi sanction, as it does not replace, but is added to all the other penalties provided for by the law in cases of irregular constitution of the employment relationship. 

Who is the Data Protection Officer and when is it mandatory?

It must not possess specific certifications or registrations in specific registers, but an in- depth knowledge of the legislationand practice on privacy . It is the Data Protection Officer , key figure introduced by the new European regulation on the protection of personal data – known to most as GDPR . Through an adequate professionalism, the DPO (acronym of Data Protection Officer) must offer the company the necessary advice to design, verify and maintain an organized system of personal data management . Furthermore, it must help the holder to adopt a complex of appropriate measures and guarantees with regard to the context. His actions must be carried out in complete independence and autonomy , without receiving instructions and reporting directly to the summits.

THE DUTIES OF THE DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

The Regulation n. 2016/679 on privacy does not contain indications on the professional qualities of the Data Protection Officer – or even Data Protection Officer (RPD). What we know today about this important figure is the result of a series of interpretations, not without misunderstandings. We know for sure that the DPO must:

• enforce the rules on privacy through the verification and continuous and constant monitoring of how the data are processed; 
•     know the legislation concerning data protection both at national and European level; 
•     know the GDPR regulations ; 
• have expertise in the field of legal , IT and assessment of risk ;

The Data Protection Manager may be chosen from within the company organization chart , or an external figure may be preferred . This jurisdiction must not be in conflict of interest . It is for this reason that the Regulation in question says that it can not be the CEO of the company, or the administrative, health and operational manager, as well as that of human resources. And finally, the Data Protection Officer will have to work in complete autonomy, without receiving any kind of education on his activities.

WHEN IT IS OBLIGATORY TO IDENTIFY A DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

The legislation on the protection of personal data will come into force on 25 May next and, for some companies, the figure of the DPO will be mandatory . There are 3 hypotheses in which this figure must necessarily be assumed:

• in the event that the processing of data is performed by a public body or the Public Administration ; 
• when it comes to companies that deal systematically with large-scale personal data , for which continuous monitoring and observation over time is required. That is when the treatment is the core business of the company, even if related. For example, the core of a hospital is patient health, but to best perform this work, data processing becomes paramount. Therefore, a hospital is obliged to designate a DPO; 
• when it comes to activities that deal with itsensitive or judicial data on a large scale.

In general, the designation of a DPO is always recommended. Companies can decide in total autonomy whether to elect it or not. In this case, even if the appointment is voluntary , the Data Protection Officer must follow the same rules and will have the same duties as the mandatory one.

Once identified, the DPO must be nominated through a contract. The appointment must be communicated to the Corporate Audit Authority, or to the Privacy Guarantor .