Diversity and inclusion: Intesa Sanpaolo participates in "4 Weeks 4 Inclusion"

Intesa Sanpaolo is participating in "4 Weeks 4 Inclusion", an initiative in which over 400 companies will be engaged for a month in discussing and examining the issues of diversity and inclusion.

Paola Angeletti, the Intesa Sanpaolo Group's COO, took part in the opening event, entitled "Anatomy of Inclusion", during a panel discussion dedicated to the importance of networking among companies on inclusion issues:

• "It is particularly important to network with other companies. Sharing experiences enriches everyone and, as the number-one private employer in Italy, Intesa Sanpaolo also wishes to set an example for other companies interested in setting inclusion as their top objective to make the most of their people."
  

On the subject of the cultural change that companies are facing at the moment, Paola Angeletti pointed out that after the pandemic we have all learned to work very differently from how we used to, but above all in a more inclusive and flexible way:

• "Intesa Sanpaolo has worked a great deal on this: giving people the tools to express themselves to the fullest and make the best possible contribution to the company. We have therefore extended smart working as far as possible, while ensuring the possibility of choosing whether to work from home or the office, while always arranging for time together because socialisation is very important. In addition to policies specifically designed for inclusion, we believe that creating working methods and environments that facilitate work-life balance helps everyone to express themselves to the fullest."

On the subject of the efficacy of the initiatives promoted by Intesa Sanpaolo, Paola Angeletti emphasised how flexibility has increased motivation, engagement and productivity, with positive effects on operating performance and individual well-being. Yet she also underscored the value of very special initiatives:

• "There are initiatives that in numerical terms only involve relatively few people at a company, but whose results are so important for those involved that I think they are extraordinarily effective. At the request of a person in our group who asked us for support in gender transition, we identified a process for how to handle these situations, helping those facing these changes. If at such a particular time we have improved the quality of life of just one person, I think it is an extraordinarily effective initiative."

Now in its fourth edition, "4 Weeks 4 Inclusion" includes more than 300 events, open to all people with the initiative's partners, with the participation of various guests from institutions and civil society: an opportunity to bear witness to how difference – if recognised, welcomed and valued – can become a strategic factor for the business and a value for everyone.

"4 Weeks 4 Inclusion" will be held from 12 October to 14 November and Intesa Sanpaolo is Platinum Partner to the initiative.