Transparency
Review the published documentation for transparent management of the Villa Taranto Botanical Gardens
The Villa Taranto Botanical Gardens Authority “Capt. Neil McEacharn” is a legal entity under private law, non-profit in nature, and not subject to public control, established on June 20, 1963.
Following amendments approved by the extraordinary assembly on March 18, 2026, its legal classification has been specified as a participatory foundation, and the related amendments to the Statute have been approved. For this reason, it is currently undergoing the recognition process as the Villa Taranto Botanical Gardens Foundation “Capt. Neil McEacharn”.
According to the approved Statute, the Foundation’s primary purpose is the management, under concession, of the publicly owned property complex known as “Villa Taranto,” located in Verbania, following the donation made by Captain Neil McEacharn.
In addition, the Foundation aims to carry out, promote, develop, and manage tourist, cultural, social, educational, study, research, training, and agricultural activities and services, both within and outside the “Botanical Gardens,” in other areas of Verbania, Lake Maggiore, and across the national territory.
From an operational and managerial standpoint, the Foundation is governed as follows:
President and Legal Representative: Giandomenico Albertella
Appointed by the Steering Committee on March 18, 2026.
Vice President: Marco Padulazzi
Appointed by the Steering Committee on March 18, 2026.
Board Member: Barbara Donzelli
Appointed by the Steering Committee on March 18, 2026.
Statutory Auditor (Single Auditor): Alessandro Ambroso
Appointed by the Steering Committee on March 18, 2026.
General Director: Andrea Cottini
Executive under the National Collective Labour Agreement (CCNL) for Agriculture. He exercises the powers of General Director of the Foundation on the basis of a delegation of management and operations granted by resolution of the Board of Directors dated December 14, 2024, pursuant to Notarial Deed no. 14456 of December 27, 2024, Notary Gramatica, Verbania. He also performs the functions of Employer pursuant to Legislative Decree 81/2008.
Botanical Curator: Fabrizio Buttè
External professional agronomist .
All additional functions and responsibilities within the organization are defined and specified in accordance with Model 231 and are represented in the Organizational Chart Rev. 1.0, available in the documentation referenced below.
The Fondazione Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto, mindful of the need to ensure conditions of fairness and transparency in the conduct of its activities, in order to safeguard its position and image, as well as the expectations of its Founding Members—particularly those of a public nature—has deemed it consistent with its internal policies to proceed with the implementation of the Organizational Model provided for by Legislative Decree no. 231/2001, approved in 2025 and revised (Rev. 1.0) by Board of Directors resolution no. 11/2026, by which the following were approved:
Organizational Model pursuant to Legislative Decree no. 231/2001 – General Part Rev. 1.0
Organizational Model pursuant to Legislative Decree no. 231/2001 – Special Part Rev. 1.0, consisting of the following annexes:
- Identification of criminal offenses – sensitive activities – principles of conduct and implementation Rev. 1.0
- Internal regulations for the procurement of goods and services Rev. 1.0
- Code of Ethics Rev. 1.0
- Disciplinary Code Rev. 1.0
- Regulations of the Supervisory Body Rev. 1.0
- Whistleblowing Procedure for reporting unlawful acts and irregularities pursuant to Legislative Decree 231/2001 Rev. 1.0
- Organizational chart Rev. 1.0
This initiative has been undertaken in the belief that the adoption of the Model may serve as an effective tool for raising awareness among all those who act in the name and on behalf of the Foundation, so that, in carrying out their activities, they follow proper and consistent conduct aimed at preventing the risk of committing the offenses contemplated by the Decree.
Also in implementation of the provisions of the Decree, the Foundation, in adopting the aforementioned Model, has entrusted a Supervisory Body (OdV) with control functions, tasked with overseeing the operation, effectiveness, and compliance with the Model itself, the related Code of Ethics, and the Whistleblowing procedures, as well as ensuring their updating.
The Organizational Model has been prepared by the Fondazione Giardini Botanici Villa Taranto taking into account, in addition to the requirements of the Decree, the guidelines issued on the matter by trade associations, as well as its own structure, the actual activities carried out by the Foundation, and the observations received from the Supervisory Body.
The Foundation’s Code of Ethics is a document that must be expressly accepted by employees, collaborators, and suppliers of the Foundation, and any violation thereof entails disciplinary and contractual consequences.
As provided for by Legislative Decree 231/2001, the Board of Directors has appointed the Foundation’s Director, Dr. Andrea Cottini, to hold the position and perform the functions of the Supervisory Body.
Without prejudice to the provisions of the Whistleblowing procedure, Clients, Visitors, and Third Parties may submit reports of irregularities or improper conduct (so-called ordinary reports) to the Supervisory Body via email at odv@villataranto.it, indicating the subject of the report in the body of the email.
Such reports will be taken into consideration provided that they are not anonymous or clearly unidentifiable.
Reports that will be considered are only those concerning facts directly observed by the reporting party and not based on rumors. Reports may not concern complaints or grievances, which should instead be addressed, where appropriate, to the Foundation’s institutional email addresses.
