TIM and over 100 Italian companies have signed the "Code of Self-Discipline of Responsible Businesses in Favour of Motherhood" promoted by Eugenia Maria Roccella, the Italian Minister for Family, Natality and Equal Opportunities.
This pact, which supplements other measures for the protection of parenthood, aims to promote the entry and retention of women in employment.
According to data from the National Labour Inspectorate, in fact, 85% of female resignations are closely related to the topic of maternity, so the code intervenes precisely on this, focusing mainly on three areas.
Career continuity for mothers: the code provides opportunities for information on company and professional development during periods of abstention from work and targeted training for those returning to work after maternity leave.
Prevention and health: prevention and vaccination campaigns, periodic screening and maternity-specific check-ups, integrative health care.
Management of working time and arrangements: the code provides for a number of measures to facilitate mothers, including longer leave than the minimum legal requirements, flexible working hours, a switch to horizontal and vertical part-time work, a focus on performance objectives to facilitate remote working, as well as the availability of crèches and coverage of expenses for early childhood, education and home care.
The 'Code of Self-Discipline of Responsible Businesses in Favour of Motherhood' is an instrument that is of interest not only to companies but to the whole community, because it aims to concretely support gender equality and birth rates, which are strategic objectives for Italy.
TIM supports and accompanies parenthood, and thus motherhood, by working on:
- work-life balance: pregnant women and new parents are offered additional agile working opportunities; parents can take advantage of specific loans and leave and convert their employment relationship from full-time to 75% part-time, for a maximum period of one year that can be extended if necessary
- assistance to new parents: with a support plan that entails the reimbursement of the fees for crèches, nursery schools and baby sitting, the presence of crèches at some of the company's largest sites, and the possibility for parents to send their children up to the age of 18 to the 'TIM Estate' summer camps during the period when schools are closed and family holidays have not yet started
- dissemination of shared parenting and family models: with the doubling of compulsory paternity leave (another 10 days are added to the 10 provided by law) and a comprehensive plan of internal training and awareness-raising activities
The fostering of female talent must not stop at motherhood, because this would create a loss of value not only for women, but for society as a whole. We at TIM are convinced of this, which is why we wholeheartedly support this initiative and will continue to fight against all aspects of the Gender Gap. Because #LaParitàNonPuòAspettare (#ParityCannotWait).