Poste Italiane recognises the fundamental importance of its contribution in promoting the principles of sustainable development, considering its relevance within the Italian economic and social panorama. Therefore, the Group has adopted a Code of Ethics, supported by corporate policies and guidelines to protect and safeguard Human Rights. These include the Corporate Policy on the Protection and Safeguarding of Human Rights, the Policy on the Diversity of Management and Control Bodies, the Diversity & Inclusion Policy and the more recent Support for Active Parenting Policy. Moreover, in addition to following the company policies and guidelines mentioned above, Poste Italiane guarantees the well-being of all the people working in the Company or collaborating with it, and is committed to improving the conditions of the communities in which it operates through a proactive approach aimed at disseminating respect for international principles concerning the safeguarding and protection of Human Rights.
The Group's Corporate Policy concerning the safeguard and protection of Human Rights reiterates the rules of conduct to be observed in relations with all stakeholders with whom the Company interacts, as already set out in the Code of Ethics. Poste Italiane pays particular attention to safeguarding the rights of all subjects included within the Group's value chain, belonging to specific categories such as: its own workers, women, children, indigenous people, migrants, external workers, local communities, suppliers and partners, customers, people with disabilities, people who are victims of any form of discrimination and violence. Through this Policy, the Group affirms its commitment to conforming company processes to the main international standards and best practices, and to promoting these principles and periodically reporting the progress of the performances achieved, in terms of management and monitoring methods, identified risks and management and mitigation actions. Furthermore, the Policy regulates various aspects concerning the prevention and condemnation of any form of discrimination or violence, including forced labour, child labour and human trafficking, also promoting freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining and to fair remuneration, in order to support the well-being of people.
Among the key objectives of Poste Italiane, particular importance is given to the encouragement and development at all levels of the organisation of a business culture based on the respect and valorisation of diversity in all its forms and manifestations. The conscious management of diversity in an inclusive way contributes not only to creating shared social value, but also represents a competitive advantage for the entire Group, strengthening people's engagement and commitment towards company objectives.
The projects and initiatives promoted by Poste Italiane in order to guarantee social inclusion and enhance diversity are an integral part of a broader strategic framework, aimed at developing balanced organisational models to encourage communication and highlight personal characteristics, while protecting individual vulnerability. The path undertaken by the Group aims to evolve from an approach focused exclusively on the protection and integration of diversity, towards a more proactive strategy that aims to overcome barriers and resolve the factors that hinder the inclusion of individuals in the workplace. The Group's diversity and inclusion strategy testifies to the Company's commitment to creating a collaborative, supportive and open working environment, while at the same time maximising the opportunities it provides, contributing to the well-being of its people on the one hand and to its competitive advantage in business on the other.
The Group has enshrined its guiding principles and values through the development and formalisation by the Board of Directors of a Diversity & Inclusion Policy, through which the administrative body defines measurable and multi-year objectives. In particular, the Diversity & Inclusion Policy is based on four pillars:
- Gender.
- Generations.
- Disability/Vulnerability.
- Interculturality/Inclusive culture.
The main initiatives promoted on Diversity & Inclusion issues are monitored in the Human Resources and Industrial Relations area through the People Care and Diversity Management function, established in 2019, within which a contact person responsible for promoting the implementation of the planned project initiatives operates in the Diversity & Inclusion Plan, also taking care of programme management activities for cross-functional projects. In order to support these initiatives, a budget defined on the basis of the annual planning is assigned. In general, projects and initiatives related to Diversity & Inclusion are managed through internal databases using dedicated company systems, functional for mapping participants, reporting and monitoring, and are accessible via the company intranet.
To ensure alignment with market trends and best practices, the operations of the HR Study centre continued during 2023, which actively participates in inter-company discussions also engaging with associations and institutions in order to generate new opportunities, visions and orientations suited to company objectives. The HR Study centre also provides carefully selected content organised into thematic areas presented through innovative editorial methods, making use of the dedicated online site, SpazioRUO, accessible to all Human Resources and Organisation employees. The online platform promotes the exchange of information, the sharing of experiences and the wide dissemination of contents and approaches aimed at supporting inclusive culture and people's well-being in general.
In order to increase the engagement of the company population and to promote a positive working environment and a more inclusive organisational culture, in 2023, Poste Italiane launched the first two Employee Resource Groups (E.R.G.), groups of colleagues united by their sensitivity and enthusiasm for inclusion issues, who are guided and trained to spontaneously catalyse change within the Company, transforming the commitment to Diversity & Inclusion into concrete actions that generate value for the future and nurture an inclusive culture throughout the organisation. The aim of this initiative is to give people a voice, collect and systematise proposals and practices from the various territories, encouraging proactivity in generating new ideas and promoting collective awareness of the value of inclusion. This innovative approach mobilises people's energies, encouraging mutual learning and overcoming both hierarchical and functional dimensions to accelerate change. In addition, the first two E.R.G. also include Supporters and Allies of Diversity & Inclusion, figures who are actively involved in the transformation process and who provide input and project ideas, and the process of setting up the third E.R.G. has also been completed.
Poste Italiane promotes a wide range of initiatives that give concrete expression to the principles of inclusion and equal opportunities. A key element in this context is the drafting of the Framework Agreement on Harassment and Violence in the Workplace, by which the Group is committed to maintaining a working environment in which respect and dignity for every individual is ensured. Poste Italiane also cooperates with the two main advocacy organisations operating at national level, i.e. the Anti-Violence Network "D.i.Re" (Donne in Rete) and the voluntary association "Telefono Rosa", and finances a fund for the economic and working autonomy of women victims of violence, offering many of them with training opportunities, job placement and in some cases, also accommodation solutions. The principle of equal opportunities in career paths is rigorously applied, guaranteeing that the selection of personnel takes place on the basis of professionalism and skills in compliance with company needs, regardless of personal characteristics such as age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, nationality, political opinions and religious beliefs.