(Finance) – Investing in gender equality within companies is primarily a strategic element to improve company performance: This is the message launched by the Italian Networks of the United Nations (UNGCN ITALIA) during Ring The Bell for Gender Equality, the annual event that took place today on the Milan Stock Exchange. On this occasion, Ungcn Italia has relaunched the Global Forward Faster – Gender Equality campaign, to invite companies to engage in concrete actions to guarantee full female representation in the world of work and wage equality by 2030.
Ring The Bell for Gender Equality It is the traditional appointment with which, on the occasion of the International Day of Women, over 100 bags all over the world dedicate the opening of financial markets to the theme of gender equality and the enhancement of female talents. The ceremony-event, which this year celebrates its tenth edition, is promoted in Italy by a Global Compact Network Italy with Euronext and Women in Etfs and was hosted today by Borsa Italiana at the midnight building in Milan.
The data of a global compact reveal that on average, In various countries, long -term PDP per capita would be almost 20% higher if gender employment gaps were filled. Furthermore, when the boards of directors are balanced on the level of the genre, companies have 20% more likely to obtain better business results. Gender Equality in the workplace can help unlock over $ 12 trillions of new market value linked to SDGS. These numbers demonstrate how female inclusion in the world of work is, first of all, an opportunity for the private sector. In this context, Global Compact of the United Nations proposes the Forward Faster – Gender Equality campaign, a call to companies around the world to take on a new and even more ambitious commitment on the Sustainable Development Goal 5 dedicated to gender equality and declined in the targets “Equal representation by 2030” and “Equality of remuneration for work of equal value by 2030”. Currently, over 800 companies are at the global level that have signed at least one of the two targets connected to the SDG5, of which more than 20 are located in Italy.
According to the Global Gender Gap Index 2024 of the World Economic Forum, the gender salary gap persists and, without structural interventions, The zeroing of the economic gap between men and women is projected at over 150 years. In the reduction of gender disparities, the study of the WEF has positioned Italy in 87th in the world, marking a loss of eight positions compared to 2023 Finally, the INPS 2024 report 2024 shows that the female employment rate is 52.5% against 70.5% male and only 21.1% of women employ a managerial role.
“Despite these DATI, the Italian private sector is demonstrating a growing attention to the theme, “said Daniela Bernacchi, Executive Director of the Uno Global Compact Network Italy. “In just over two years over 16,000 companies have obtained UNI/PDR 125 certification, which is therefore giving a strong impulse to the inclusion and enhancement of female talents. A further thrust will certainly arrive EU Directive 2023/970, which introduces new obligations for European companies, in order to guarantee equal pay between men and women for the same job or for a job of equal value. The directive requires companies to adopt corrective measures if the wage gap exceeds 5%, thus strengthening the mechanisms of transparency remuneration and responsibility. Member States of the European Union will have to transpose the legislation by June 2026 “concluded Bernacchi.
During the morning in the Italian Stock Exchange it also intervened Elena Avogadro, Responsible, Diversity Equity & Inclusion Intesa Sanpaolo, who underlined the importance of enhancing merit at all corporate levels to promote an increasingly fair and inclusive work environment and encourage cultural change both inside and outside the group.