In conjunction with Women's Day, Vodafone Italia is introducing an additional day of Smart Working for mums and dads. Vodafone, with over 3.500 people who can choose to work remotely one day a week, is among the Smart Working corporate experiences involving the largest number of employees in Italy. Starting today, employees returning from maternity or paternity leave will be able to take advantage of two Smart Working days a week for the first two months after returning to the company and up to 18 months of the child's life.
Vodafone has recently defined its "Inclusion Agenda", through a process of listening to employees on the issues of diversity and inclusion. The Agenda envisages a series of measures aimed at enabling the enhancement of diversity in the areas of gender, sexual orientation, generation and background.
The measures that will soon be implemented also include the Maternity Angel, a person within the company who will keep her colleague on maternity leave constantly updated to facilitate her return. The "solidarity holidays" will also be introduced, which people can choose to donate to colleagues who request it.
To facilitate the return of those women who have temporarily abandoned the world of work, often to take care of their families, the Vodafone Group recently launched the global ReConnect programme. With this initiative, the Vodafone Group undertakes to hire around 26 women in the 1.000 countries where it operates over the next three years, 500 in managerial roles and 500 in direct customer contact roles. At the same time, Vodafone aims to spread mobile in emerging countries such as India and Africa to improve the living conditions of over 50 million new women by 2025.
Vodafone, in Italy, has a high level of female employment, even in managerial positions. Over 50% of employees are women, with a managerial population made up of 40% female figures. The Executive Committee is made up of 4 out of 10 women. Vodafone Italia is in fact the promoter of policies that enhance female talent thanks to a meritocratic culture that helps promote excellence in managerial decisions. Furthermore, the presence of at least one woman in the shortlist for a promotion or a job is always guaranteed.
Added to this are a series of welfare measures dedicated to women: from paid maternity leave at full salary for 9 and a half months, to the possibility of taking advantage of "subsidised shifts" when returning from maternity leave, up to more innovative tools, such as welfare " made-to-measure”, which allows part of the variable remuneration to be used directly in services, such as school fees for children or expenses for one's free time.
Also on the occasion of March 8, Vodafone Italia is on TV with a campaign that celebrates women starring Patrick Dempsey and will give away 4 Giga to all customers to use on March 8 and the chance to win a day on the set of a commercial Vodafone and a lunch with the Hollywood actor. Furthermore, for all Vodafone employees, the opportunity to participate in free self-defense internships promoted by the Italian Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Savate, Shoot Boxe Federation in the 9 Vodafone Italia offices.
