Diversity & Inclusion at Intesa Sanpaolo

For some time now Intesa Sanpaolo has had concrete Diversity and Inclusion tools such as the creation of a specific dedicated structure reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer and the formulation of a specific KPI to reward managers attentive to gender equity, as well as programmes to accelerate women's careers and specific training courses to encourage inclusion; its integrated welfare system has evolved over the years to include a wide range of solutions – e.g. time bank, company child care, extended maternity/paternity leave, remote working, flexible entry/exit times, part-time work – that concretely address the issue of time management and the balance between employees' business and personal needs. The "Principles of Diversity & Inclusion" policy was approved in 2020, formalising the inclusion policy towards all forms of diversity, basing it on respect for all people, meritocracy and equal opportunities. In 2021, the Rules for Combating Sexual Harassment were published. This document complements the Code of Ethics and the Code of Conduct in spelling out the policy of firmly condemning all types of harassment and regulating in detail the process for handling reports. The publication of the document was accompanied by a compulsory training course to spread its knowledge and implementation.

The group is also implementing numerous initiatives to support customers, families and female entrepreneurs.

Some Diversity Management initiatives:

·       Definition of commitments on gender equity (Diversity & Inclusion Principles) to foster gender balance in recruitment and ensuring equal opportunities in processes of promotion to positions of responsibility, appointments to senior management roles and in the succession plan for senior personnel. In addition, a target of 50% women in new senior appointments at the first two levels of responsibility has been set over the 2022-2025 Business Plan.

·       Training on inclusive leadership and unconscious biases for top management, for a discussion on the characteristics and advantages of adopting an inclusive leadership style, on the value and richness represented by people's diversity, avoiding often unconscious stereotypes.

·       Group coaching for managers to reflect, define and implement inclusive behaviours

·       Initiatives in support of parenting to facilitate the reconciliation of personal and professional life for parents and the balancing of family care obligations

·       Programme aimed at people who are absent for long periods of time (maternity/paternity leave, illness, leave for family or personal reasons) to form close relationships during the absence and promote a successful return to work

·       Feedback initiatives to investigate needs, experiences and expectations on inclusion issues, with a focus on different generations in the company in order to identify specific age management initiatives

·       Disability management: establishment of an interfunctional group to support and enhance the contribution of all our people within the company through a dedicated process. About 70 professionals – most of them certified by the Lombardy Region as Disability Managers after attending the Advanced Training Course "Disability Managers and the Workplace" organised by the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Milan – are actively participating in it. The interfunctional group meets periodically with the trade unions within the Welfare, Safety and Sustainable Development Committee.

·       Training and awareness-raising initiatives for all Group personnel on inclusion and diversity (e.g. affective orientation and gender identity, age management, multiculturalism, disability)

In particular, in support of gender equality:

·       Female Leadership Acceleration: a specific initiative that has already involved more than 140 female managers and top managers, with individual and collective development programmes to accelerate their growth;

·       Women's empowerment: training courses aimed at the high-potential female population to strengthen awareness of the value of gender difference

·       Shadowing programmes: involving female managers and high-potential female colleagues

·       Job rotation to strengthen and broaden skills

Recognition, formal commitments and partnerships

Intesa Sanpaolo stands out for its numerous initiatives promoting gender equality and, in addition to being included in the 2022 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), it is the first bank in Italy and among the first in Europe to receive the Gender Equality European & International Standard (GEEIS-Diversity), an international certification of the Arborus association issued through Bureau Veritas. The Bank has also adhered to the Women's Empowerment Principles – WEPs promoted by the UN and subscribes to the ABI (Italian Banking Association) Charter "Women in banking". Finally, Intesa Sanpaolo has a longstanding collaboration with Fondazione Marisa Bellisario and the associations Valore D and Parks - Liberi e uguali.