Initiatives for the inclusion of people with disabilities
Intesa Sanpaolo carefully manages the inclusion of people with disabilities within the Group, guaranteeing an entry role suited to their skills and needs, as well as a professional development plan for the future.
The reference contact within the company to address all problems connected with the world of disabilities and illness is the inter-functional Working Group, created following the Inclusion Agreement of August 2018. Coordinated by the Welfare function, it includes the active participation of around 80 Group’s people representing multiple corporate structures. The aim is to combine the different professional skills with team working, in order to support and enhance the employees’ contribution and promote as much as possible a well-being condition and a support in the development in the company, also enriching the welfare tools in support.
The group periodically meets with the Trade Unions as part of the Welfare, Safety and Sustainable Development Committee to define the initiatives to be undertaken and works in synergy with the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Function. All the members of the group and a representation of all the trade unions participated in the Higher Education Training Course “Disability Manager and the working world” organised by Cattolica University of Milan, in order to lay the foundations for a common language, an important tool of work.
The Group’s commitment on the subject lies on the one hand in the management of individual reports from the Group’s employees and on the other hand in multiple activities such as monitoring issues with accessibility to computer systems, training and the organisation of cultural initiatives aimed at raising awareness and involving people on the subject.
The Cross-Functional Working Group (WG) carefully manages and analyzes individual reports through the Reasonable Accommodation process. This process includes necessary changes and adaptations, adopted when necessary, to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy and exercise all human rights and fundamental freedoms, on an equal footing with others. In addition, the WG works on various project areas: accessibility, communication, development of an inclusive culture, training, co-design that sees the direct involvement of Intesa Sanpaolo people.
Thanks to fruitful discussions with trade unions and other Bank departments, the Group is implementing a series of projects aimed at promoting the employment of people with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals. Specifically, the employment of individuals on the autism spectrum has been achieved through a shared process among all affected stakeholders and with the active involvement of all work teams. Before joining the team, an awareness-raising activity was designed to raise awareness and develop specific skills on the topic of autism. The experience gained has fostered the adoption of more open and diverse approaches within both work teams and management, fostering a professional environment geared towards listening, valuing differences, and collective growth.
Furthermore, the Group has supported the integration of people with Down syndrome into customer service roles in the Banca dei Territori division branches in several large Italian cities.
At the initiative of the Intesa Sanpaolo Philanthropic Foundation, a mutual aid society – a Third Sector Organization – was established with the commitment to provide initiatives to support the non-self-sufficient children of Group members with disabilities.
In 2024, a further group focused on disability issues, "ARTICOLO 19 – Disability & Citizenship," strengthened its identity.
Starting from a small group and gradually growing, it aims to support and guide individuals through the content of the disability reform (Law 227/2021) for the full implementation of the Principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Italy.
In 2025, this group also organized meetings, personal and group exchanges, on crucial topics such as combating ableism, preventing institutionalization, autism and neurodivergence, and job placement. It also involved the relevant Departments and Government Areas, in close collaboration with the relevant departments, DE&I and Workers' Benefit - Disability Management.
With the ongoing support of the International Banks Division (IBD), the dialogue on DE&I issues with the division's banks, initiated in 2024, continued this year.
In 2025, participation in the DE&I Working Group was extended to IBD banks, to foster an increasingly participatory and shared dialogue on inclusion issues. Specifically, discussions on disability issues continued, with the aim of developing a shared vision. After extending the training initiative dedicated to inclusive leadership to all managers across the Group, the second training module on inclusive leadership, focusing on disability and mental health, began to be rolled out to IBD banks. It has already involved the managerial population in Italy (approximately 6,500 managers).
To this end, a pilot project was launched in 2025 involving representatives from the banks' Human Resources, CSR, and Training functions, to calibrate the rollout to all senior management, scheduled for 2026.
Another shared project is inclusive communication, for which a cross-functional working group representing the entire Group was created to develop a manifesto of common principles for the use of language and behaviors that respect diversity.
Intesa Sanpaolo also supports numerous projects aimed at raising awareness about the inclusion of people with disabilities, even outside the bank.
The bank participates in the intercompany working group "Enabling Disability," to share experiences, with the aim of deepening, consolidating, and disseminating an advanced culture of disability management, as well as hosting several conferences on the topic.
In particular, it promotes the inclusion and independence of young people with disabilities through an individualized and replicable training model that supports them in choosing a school and finding employment within the company. This includes the sales assistant course for young people with intellectual disabilities, in collaboration with La Cometa Scs, and independent living programs for young people with disabilities, in collaboration with the TOG Foundation.
Intesa Sanpaolo has always put a constant commitment in making the Bank more and more accessible both in terms of spaces/places such as branches (physical accessibility for people with disabilities has been guaranteed in most of our agencies), both in terms of digital applications (mobile apps...) and physical (e.m. ATMs) that can be enjoyed by customers/colleagues with disabilities.
For over a decade, Gallerie d'Italia has focused on creating content and media that promote the accessibility and inclusiveness of its collections for people experiencing vulnerability and social hardship. This includes tactile and Braille content, videos in LIS (Italian Sign Language), and dedicated tours developed in collaboration with Civita Mostre e Musei.
The tours are always free and offered at all Gallerie d'Italia locations: Milan, Turin, Vicenza, and Naples. They are designed with industry experts and associations, adapting them to the characteristics and needs of people with physical, cognitive, and sensory limitations.
The goal is to make artistic heritage accessible and usable to all, transforming it into a driver of individual and social growth. In 2025, approximately 750 initiatives were held for people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups, involving approximately 9,700 participants.
Inclusion is also a key issue for the Group in the context of trade union bargaining, which has defined the Framework Protocol on Inclusion and Equal Opportunities since 2014, a prerequisite for a specific agreement, an integral part of the Group's second-level collective agreement.
The Inclusion Agreement provides, in addition to the promotion of the specific cross-functional working group that deals with issues related to the world of disability and disease, the launch of experimental projects, with the support of the Welfare, Safety and Sustainable Development Committee, aimed at promoting the employability of people with autism spectrum disorders. These projects are partially financed through the Rounding Up Solidarity initiative, which provides for the voluntary payment, on a voluntary basis by all the people of the Group, of the rounding up of the net monthly salary to the lower euro; the Company, in turn, pays the missing cents to complete the euro for each person in the Group participating in the initiative.
Dyslexia friendly company certification
In addition, Intesa Sanpaolo has received the Dyslexia friendly company certification since 2018, confirming its commitment to raising awareness of specific learning disorders (SLD). This commitment takes the form of the provision of specific webinars aimed at all the people of the Group, the presence on the intranet of guides, video clips, infographics and a self-assessment questionnaire for parents and families, useful for deepening the topic in all its facets and managing coexistence, with an improved impact on well-being and quality of life in all contexts.
People on long-term leave
As part of initiatives aimed at promoting the inclusion and development of the Group's people at various stages of their lives, a program has been launched for colleagues who are absent from work for periods exceeding three months (for example, for maternity leave, leave of absence, illness, etc.). The project was created with the aim of maintaining a close relationship and listening ear during their absence, strengthening their sense of inclusion and belonging even when they are away from the company.
In 2025, it continued its work, involving more than 500 people in a voluntary support program, with the aim of establishing a close relationship with them during their absence and promoting a successful return to work. Furthermore, during the first quarter of 2025, the program was digitalized to facilitate the various phases of the process and make it even more effective.
Last updated 26 May 2026 at 13:00:49
