Equality between men and women in the workplace not only means greater equity and justice: it also means economic improvement for society as a whole. So, it’s in the interest of companies to promote gender equality at all levels of the workforce and to protect inclusion and diversity: those who engage in this mission also gain a competitive advantage, thanks to the enormous potential in terms of innovation that the presence of different points of view, without discrimination or gender bias, can provide.
The Equileap Report
Achieving true gender equality requires an understanding of the international landscape, and doing so requires being able to measure the degree of equality in different companies, and the progress achieved, based on objective indicators. That's why Equileap was founded in 2016 by two philanthropists and women's rights experts, Diana van Maasdijk (CEO) and Jo Andrews. Their mission was “to take a leap and close the equality gap in the workplace, by laying out the data to show why that leap was so important.”
Applying 19 metrics divided into specific categories, Equileap measures a company's gender equality performance in all areas: the presence of women in the workforce and in management, the gender pay-gap, maternity and paternity leave, flexible work options, measures to prevent sexual harassment, and policies that promote equality.
Enel is once again in the Top 100 and has climbed even higher
In its 2024 report, Equileap included Enel among the world's 100 best companies in terms of gender equality for the fifth consecutive year, out of a total of nearly 4,000 companies considered in 27 countries. Enel is the top Italian company in the ranking and the only one in the top 50; in terms of score, it surpasses even companies in countries such as Sweden and Canada, which have historically been very attentive to gender equality.
This is a great achievement, marking a further improvement over last year: the overall score we achieved rose from 68 to 71, and the ranking position improved from 45th to 32nd. Comparison with other companies in the sector also marks an important step forward: last year we were fifth among utilities, this year, we’re third (out of 7 in the Top 100).
"In our organization we support a corporate culture that welcomes diversity, promoting inclusion, equity and a genuine sense of belonging to create value. Every action we take in this direction is a step towards an increasingly fair, inclusive and sustainable future, towards total equality, without gender discrimination," emphasizes Elisabetta Colacchia, Head of People and Organization at Enel.
The improvement in our score, and thus in our ranking, can be attributed especially to the higher percentages of female employees in the various professional categories in our Group; in particular, compared to 2022, the percentage of women at all levels of management has increased.
Enel for gender equality and inclusion
Our continued presence in the top positions of the Equileap rankings confirms the validity of our policies for equality, diversity and inclusion, as part of our strategy focused on sustainability and in particular on the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): in this case SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
Enel's commitment to closing the gender gap and the pay-gap continues with tangible results through actions and initiatives that influence all stages of women's careers in our organization: from representation at the most basic level to empowerment and development in positions of responsibility, while paying attention to important milestones and personal circumstances, such as becoming parents, personal well-being and family caretaking responsibilities. Regarding parenting, globally we offer our "Parental Program," which aims to promote company and personal awareness of what good parenting involves and to balance the personal and professional demands related to this crucial stage of life for both parents. The program is based on the values of trust, care and commitment, and involves a structured process of interviews between the new parent, the manager, and the People Business Partner, before and after maternity and paternity leave. It is supported by a single information point that offers all the information, services and training initiatives that can facilitate the new parent’s return to work, support a healthy work-life balance and promote motivation and the organization of work activities. In the different countries where our Group is present, this program is complemented by additional local initiatives.
In terms of work-life balance, Enel provides measures in addition to those provided for in local legislation on parental leave, and applies favorable flexibility policies: in 2022, more than 36,000 people in our Group worked in hybrid mode, alternating between working remotely and in-person.
Enel and its concrete commitment
Our ongoing commitment to closing the gender gap and protecting diversity has launched numerous initiatives across the Group's various geographic settings, shining a spotlight on success stories, with an increasing focus on women.
Among our diversity awareness campaigns, we can mention two in particular: a course on bias ("Beyond Bias") and one on harassment ("Harassment in the Workplace"). To protect employees from harassment, in 2019 we published our Policy on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, followed in 2020 by our Statement against Harassment. To foster female empowerment, raise awareness among young people about the value of technical and scientific education, and counter gender stereotypes, we created the Back to School project, which is active in several countries where we’re present. In this initiative, schools are visited by female Enel professionals in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), whose aim as role models is to inspire students and spark interest in STEM subjects.
In Latin America, we use podcasts to share the experiences of women who play a leading role in our business. For example, in Argentina an electrician tells her story and gives advice on saving energy; in Chile we interviewed an energy efficiency specialist, and in Peru the speakers are women working in the construction and management of renewable energy plants.
These are just a few of many possible examples that testify to our increasing commitment, day after day, year after year, to gender equality, and thus to a more equitable company and a more sustainable world.
