Italy: Modalities and criteria to benefit from the contribution exemption for private companies that achieve gender equality certification

On 28 November 2022 was published the long-awaited decree of the Minister of Labour, in agreement with the Ministers for Equal Opportunities and for the Economy and Finance, which defines the criteria and modalities for the use of the contribution exemption for private employers who obtain gender equality certification.
The exemption applies only to private companies that have achieved gender equality certification, while public administrations are expressly excluded.

Law 162/2021 (the so-called Gribaudo law) was introduced on 1 January 2022 to the certification of gender equality in the workplace to eliminate the pay gap between men and women.

This is a measure adopted as part of the recovery plan, the 'National Recovery and Resilience Plan', presented by the Italian government to the European Union to describe all the reforms with which the country intends to invest the EUR 200 billion in resources made available by the European fund.

One of its objectives is to reduce the gender gap, aiming at greater participation of women in the labour market and establishing the National Equality Certification System, encouraging companies to adopt appropriate policies to reduce the gender gap.

The focus is on the most critical areas: opportunities for growth within the company, equal pay for equal work, gender equality management policies, and maternity protection.

The advantages of parity certification are significant: a preferential score in funding applications and public tenders and a contribution exemption of no more than 1 per cent and up to a maximum of EUR 50,000 per year for each company.

The contribution exemption, originally financed for 2022 only, has become a stable measure, financed with 50 million per year, by the provision of the 2022 Budget Law.

The Ministerial Decree finally published defines the criteria and procedures for granting it.

Companies in possession of the certification must submit, exclusively electronically, the application for exemption to the National Social Security Institute, according to the instructions the institute will provide.

The Institue will check the applications and admit the company to the benefit for the entire certification validity period (3 years).

The exemption, calculated monthly, will be enjoyed by employers by reducing their social security contributions for all the months during which the certification is valid.

Since April 2022, six bodies have been accredited for issuing the parity certification, and by the end of October 2022, they had already issued 23 certifications.

Given the interest aroused by the institute, also considering the contribution exemption related to such recognition, it is expected that a more and more growing number of certifications for the coming year.