Fashion brand Gucci has received certification for gender parity from the Italian government and has been recognised as being a best place to work for disability inclusion in the United States (US).
Introduced by the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the certification is based on culture and strategy, governance, human resources processes, opportunities for women’s growth and inclusion, gender pay equity, parental support and work-life balance.
Gucci received certification as a result of its commitment to gender parity and its three-year strategic plan that is aimed at implementing actionable initiatives that champion equality. The brand conducted a global analysis of gender pay equity in 2021 and is committed to eliminating any disparities through initiatives by 2025. It will conduct a new analysis on pay parity in the second half of 2023, aiming to bridge any remaining gaps.
Gucci’s plan also includes implementing policies and innovative technologies in the selection, recruitment, career management and pay equity to ensure inclusive hiring and to reduce bias, as well as enabling a hybrid workplace, facilitating work-life balance initiatives and parental support such as minimum of 14 weeks fully paid for paternity, adoption or partner care, and activating coaching programmes for their return to work.
In addition, Gucci North America has been recognised for the second consecutive year as a best place to work for disability inclusion by the Disability Equality Index. It achieved the highest possible score of 100 as a result of its efforts to foster greater accessibility and disability inclusion within its workplace and customer experience, and its aim to create greater opportunities for disabled people.
Marco Bizzarri, president and chief executive officer of Gucci, said: “This achievement, reached ahead of European trends and as the first in the luxury industry in Italy, strongly reaffirms our commitment to a culture that values equity, inclusivity, and respect.
“Through concrete actions, such as adopting innovative technologies to reduce bias in the selection process, closing the gender pay gap, implementing parental leave policies, fostering greater female representation in leadership roles, and public awareness campaigns, we support change and promote cultural transformation in the luxury and fashion industry worldwide, and we will continue to do so.”