CSR Voice: Italy on Ethnic Diversity & Inclusion

CSR Voice is the new blog series dedicated to exploring key global sustainability issues locally together with CSR Europe’s National Partner Organisations.

Ahead of the United Nations’ International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March, we talked with Alessandro Beda, Managing Director of the Italian CSR Network Fondazione Sodalitas, about the status of ethnic diversity and inclusion in the workplace in Italy.

What is your vision on the current situation regarding the inclusion of ethnic diversity in the workplace in Italy? Is there a difference between North and South?

It is now increasingly recognized how multiculturalism is a relevant factor for the development of the company, and how important it is to encourage an effective work inclusion of migrants.

According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) data, from 2010 to date, non-EU residents in Italy have increased by 44% and represent 8.7% of the population. Foreign workers in Italy number 2.5 million, and in the last ten years have increased by 600 thousand units (+31% since 2010). These workers produce 9.5% of Italy's GDP or 147 billion euros, but their potential is held back by undeclared work and irregular presence; in addition, most regular foreign workers are employed mainly for jobs that do not require a degree, although 12% of migrants are graduates.

In 2020 in Italy, the percentage of non-EU nationals employed in companies is highest for men working in the North-East at 15.1%, and lowest for women workers on the Islands (1.6%). The figures are higher for domestic workers: in 2020 just under half of the domestic workers are non-EU, and these are also more concentrated in the North-West (36.7%) and the Centre (27.5%); in the North-East we find 21.8%, while in the South and the Islands respectively 9.4% and 4.5%.

These are just a few figures that show the gap between the North and the South. Irregular work has always been more prevalent in the South. In particular, there has been the development of 'caporalato' or gangmaster system, which mainly affects non-EU citizens who are employed illegally in the agricultural sector.

Can you tell us about the initiatives that you have undertaken to support enterprises that want to advance inclusive business models?

All our activities aim at fostering partnerships for the growth of the community, generating social value and contributing to a future of inclusion. Fondazione Sodalitas has always adopted a multi-stakeholder approach, promoting the development of initiatives carried out through co-planning and collaboration between member companies and the most important stakeholders: institutions, the Third Sector, schools, universities and research centres, and international networks.

The most important project on D&I issues is the Italian Diversity Charter, also known as the Charter for Equal Opportunities and Equality at Work. It is a declaration of intent, voluntarily signed by companies of all sizes, for the dissemination of corporate culture and inclusive human resources policies, free from discrimination and prejudice, capable of enhancing talent in all its diversity.

The Charter provides an organic set of concrete actions with its decalogue, a simple programmatic framework to guide member companies of all sizes in its application. By adhering to the Charter, we want to support companies in enhancing pluralism and inclusive practices in the workplace, contributing to the success and competitiveness of enterprises.

What challenges do you encounter while working on ethnic diversity and inclusion?

The promotion of ethnic diversity and inclusion in Italy still faces many obstacles due to various factors that are both internal and external to the organizations themselves. On the one hand, there is a lack of support and national guidelines for inclusion in the workplace. On the other hand, Italian companies, mostly SMEs, have difficulties in undertaking inclusive paths that include economic investments, with no support at the local level.

In a country like Italy, where the most part of the business is composed by SMEs and very local organizations, and where territorial differences are very marked also with respect to the approach to D&I, it is essential to be able to focus on each specific territory, customizing the approach at the local level.

Unfortunately, in Italy, the bureaucratic procedures for hiring foreign people frighten a large share of companies, and it is for this reason that dissemination initiatives are useful to bring companies closer to the issue of multiculturalism and make them aware of the possible ways of integrating migrants in the company.

Since 2009 Sodalitas has been promoting the “Charter for Equal Opportunities and Equality at Work” – an initiative launched by the European Commission to promote inclusive growth.

How has the Charter been received by companies? Why companies should adhere to it?

Companies are enthusiastic about joining the Charter: thanks to this project they can have a reference point on these issues and get in touch with organisations that are similarly committed.

There are several reasons to sign the Charter, such as:

contributing to the achievement of SDGs 10 (10.2 and 10.3), 8 (8.5, 8.7, and 8.8), and 5 (5.1 and 5.5);
joining an advanced network that is formally committed to change and reducing inequalities;
valuing the commitments made as useful elements for non-financial reporting;
access to best practices and publications on D&I issues

Organizations signatories of the Italian Diversity Charter can access a series of networking initiatives and tools to support their D&I policies: access to the Sodalitas D&I Self Assessment tool, which allows signatory companies to have the first measurement of their D&I performance; participation in periodic surveys on D&I trends, thus contributing to the Italian scenario; access to thematic workshops; opportunity to promote D&I initiatives to Italian and European institutions and during Diversity Month (May).

In fact, the Italian Charter represents Italy within the European Platform of Diversity Charters, promoted by the European Commission to foster the exchange of good practices between the Diversity Charters and to develop synergetic initiatives.

What actions will you undertake to advance ethnic diversity and inclusion in 2022? IN FEW MONTHS’ TIME, IN MAY, WE WILL CELEBRATE the European Diversity Month.

Do you have any upcoming activities to build bridges between the different aspects of diversity and make sure that your policies and activities are more intersectional?

Multiculturalism is a relevant development factor in the company, and it is increasingly important to encourage an effective work inclusion of migrants. Fondazione Sodalitas has been developing D&I projects with its associated companies for many years. In 2021, given the growing interest on the part of associated companies on the issue of job placement of migrants in the company, Fondazione Sodalitas decided to develop the project "Migration and Development" (Migrazione e Sviluppo). The project will kick off this year in partnership with the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Ministry of Labor, and the Municipality of Milan and aims at informing companies about the possibilities offered by legal quotas for job placement provided by current legislation.

Moreover, in 2022 we will continue to build bridges between our member companies and a large network of stakeholders. In particular, we will focus on the working situation of foreign women which is an urgent issue yet to be properly addressed in Italy.

Later in May, Fondazione Sodalitas will promote the European Diversity Month through the Italian Diversity Charter, launching several initiatives to raise awareness among its member companies and signatory organizations.

We will also organise an event for the award ceremony of Deploy your Talents, a project created by CSR Europe and developed in Italy by Fondazione Sodalitas, and aimed at relaunching STEM studies by overcoming gender stereotypes.

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