Support parents and caregivers, promote the employment inclusion of people with disabilities, counteract gender stereotypes and create an environment free from discrimination. These are some of the principles of the new policy Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging adopted by the Enel Group with the aim of build an inclusive corporate culture, based on respect, which fosters trust and stimulates creativity, innovation and the ability to respond to challenges with flexibility.
In a country like Italy where five women leave their jobs after the birth of a child and where more and more people find themselves caring for elderly parents, Enel has designed a corporate welfare more tailored to families. Recently the Group signed an agreement on parenting with the unions which provides some benefits including 20 days of paid leave for new fathers, in addition to the 10 required by lawand the increase in90% allowance for the months of parental leave for which the law provides 80%. Furthermore, one day of paid leave, also usable by the hour, for placing children in nursery or nursery school, one hourly leave on the first day of primary school, one day of paid leave for graduation, diploma and license average of the children, and two days of paid leave per year for the need to care for elderly parents (where the conditions under law 104 are not met). Furthermore, in Rome the group has opened a company nursery, 50% of whose monthly fee is paid by the company: «From a logistical and economic point of view it has infinite value – he says Carolina Morroni35 years old, mother of a 10-month-old baby, who deals with internal communications at Enel – furthermore the training offer is stimulating, the environment is new and well-kept”.
As regards people with disabilities, in addition to promoting the uniqueness of each individual, the policy aims to build inclusive work spaces, accessible to those who use walking aids and equipped with compensatory IT equipment. “The differences are seen as enrichment,” he notes René Tonelli42 years old, involved in the management of staff, who when he has to work in person moves from the Aosta Valley – where he lives – to Rome, always facilitated in wheelchair transfers by the policy and offers logistical support.
To ensure that every employee can express their potential, Enel has established a governance based on three pillars: the constant involvement of management, the definition of clear and widespread responsibilities at all levels and the continuous improvement of company processes with a view to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, precisely. Furthermore, the company has adopted a “zero tolerance” policy towards any discriminatory behavior, with a safe and ready whistleblowing system to guarantee an environment free from discrimination: a challenge but also an opportunity for everyone since, as emerges from all the most recent studies, the realities in which diversity is valued obtain the most solid performances.
The comment by Elisabetta Colacchia, director of People & Organization of the Enel Group: «The new policies on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging demonstrate the Enel Group’s commitment to a more inclusive and productive work environmentwhich can attract talent and better prepare for future opportunities.” Thus Elisabetta Colacchia, People & Organization director of the Enel Group (Head of People and Organization), underlines the importance of the Policy Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging), not only as a guiding principle, but also as a strategy to address current and future challenges.
