THEThe panorama of Italian companies is experiencing a significant evolution in particular, above all, due to the way in which they have begun to manage their human resources, with particular attention to gender equality and employee well-being. This change is photographed by two important awards which in 2025 are redesigning the profile of the best companies in the country: the certification Top Employers Italy and the classification Best Workplaces for Women.
Top Employers Italia certification for 151 Italian companies
The Top Employers Institute, a globally recognized certification body that evaluates the excellence of corporate practices in human resources management, recently awarded 151 companies. This certification is not a simple award, but represents the result of a rigorous process that companies undertake voluntarily. To get it, businesses must undergo a thorough assessment which looks at different aspects of their people management. From hiring policies to professional growth opportunities, from benefits management to how they promote an inclusive and stimulating work environment.
Recognized companies
Among the companies that have obtained this prestigious recognition we find prominent names such as Amazon Italy, Amplifon and Unicredit, but also PepsiCo Italia, Philip Morris and STMicroelectronics. The certification is divided into different levels: in addition to national recognition, 48 companies have also demonstrated their excellence at a European level, obtaining the Top Employers Europe 2025 certification, while 15 have achieved the coveted goal of global certification.
A particularly significant innovation this year is the introduction of the Top Employers Enterprise certificationdesigned specifically for large multinationals that operate in at least 10 countries and have more than 2,500 employees. This new recognition, obtained by 7 companies, underlines the importance of maintaining high standards in personnel management even in very complex and international contexts.
The working environment is very important and more and more Italian companies are understanding this (Getty)
Best Workplaces for Women 2024 where women like to work
But the real change of pace in the world of Italian work emerges from the analysis of the female condition in companies. The ranking Best Workplaces for Women 2024developed by Great Place to Work Italia, examined the opinions of over 75,000 employees in 211 companies, revealing particularly encouraging data. The most significant data concerns the so-called “Trust Index“, an indicator that measures employee trust in their company. In the best companies for women, this index reaches 85%exceeding the average of the other companies analyzed by 6 percentage points.
The top 3
It is positioned at the top of this special ranking Teleperformancea leading company in the telecommunications sector, followed by Biogen Italywhich operates in the field of biotechnology, and from American Express in the financial services sector. These results are particularly significant because they show how excellence in human resources management is not limited to a single sector, but extends across different areas of the economy.
Women in roles of responsibility
One of the most interesting aspects that emerged from the analysis concerns the presence of women in roles of responsibility. In the most virtuous companies, 42% of managerial positions are occupied by womena significantly higher percentage than the 25% recorded in other companies. Furthermore, the gender gap at various levels of management is surprisingly small: only 3% in the first management level, 2% in the second level and just 1% in top positions (C-Level).
Better working conditions
As regards working conditions, it emerges that 53% of women in certified companies have a full-time contractwhile the remaining 47% work part-time. A particularly positive figure concerns the opportunities for innovation: 85% of women say they have concrete possibilities to bring innovation within your organizationeven exceeding the percentage of male colleagues (80%).
The commitment of Italian companies to gender equality
These results are not random, but the result of a specific commitment by Italian companies to invest in gender equality. A commitment that is producing tangible benefits not only in terms of equity, but also general satisfaction and staff involvement. In this context, the Italian State’s initiative to introduce a specific certification for gender equality represents a further incentive for companies to improve their practices in this area.
What will be the future
Looking to the future, it is clear that the path towards full gender equality in the world of work is still evolving. While progress is evident, on the other hand there remain areas for improvement, especially regarding women’s access to full-time contracts and their presence in top positions. However, the data shows that Italian companies they are becoming more and more aware of the importance of creating fair and inclusive working environmentsnot only as an ethical imperative, but also as a key to long-term business success.
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