Gender equality in finance? The future we want.

Ten years have passed since the legislation introducing the female quota system in Piazza Avari. As we all know, the Gulf-Moscow Law, approved in 2011, provides for at least one-third of the seats to be reserved for women in relation to the governing bodies of all listed companies. Let’s evaluate these ten years together, to understand whether and how something has changed and what, on the other hand, still needs to be done in order for gender equality to be effective.

First of all, I think that thanks to the legislation something has happened, but I don’t think the desired change has happened. Let me explain: In fact, the introduction of a female quota has resulted in an increase in managerial roles and the presence of women in councils, among other things, with better results than the minimum required by law.

It is true, if the women present on the boards of 40 listed companies present in Ftse Mib in 2011 did not exceed 5.7%, then at the end of 2019 they had reached 35.5%, compared to the minimum imposed of 33.3%.

This bodes well.

However, on the other hand, the desired equality has not been touched so much in higher positions, as it is understood that even the increase in senior managers is marginal compared to the presence of males in addition to the input provided by the legislation itself.

While it is true that women in managerial positions have increased from 11.9% to 17.6% in 10 years, it is also true that they are still far less than men attended.

In particular, what stands out is that there is no woman at the head of one of the forty companies listed on Ftse Mib and that in public subsidiaries, women are only “given” acting roles without executive powers. It seems clear to me that it is very difficult, especially in Italy, to shatter the stereotypes and prejudices that always see the man’s character occupy roles in power.

I don’t know exactly the full sequence of why my male mates were so difficult to identify In toto Professional women. For me it is often, absurdly, that we don’t even need rosy quotas, where women should be able to hold positions of power just because they deserve it. But I know that Italy he has to Bridging the gender gap, which is an additional deficit compared to other European and non-European countries, where women also occupy senior government positions, for example, in Germany and New Zealand.

But not only. Abroad, especially in the United Kingdom, the United States and Northern European countries, many institutional funds are taking serious measures regarding gender equality and, more generally, the fact that women are represented and represented in 360 degrees in listed companies. This kind of initiative and “attitude” is completely missing, in my opinion, in Italy. why?

Because we are holding back. Because it is easier to maintain the status quo than to fuel change. Unfortunately, I am convinced that the effects of the ESG culture, in social and governance aspects, will also appear in Italy. Unfortunately, because it will happen By inertiaAnd the Subsequently And not proactively.

We will have the opportunity to be at the helm of change towards a future in which integration, integration and equality are values ​​introduced and enlivened in our society, even before we work, yet we still have many obstacles to overcome.

Think only of the banking world, where gender equality remains the exception to the rule. We know that BNL is unique in Italy and that the UAE, which is certainly not known for its gender equality, was able to accept a woman at the head of a bank earlier than we did.

There is still a long way to go and the regulations are only one Condition no, Not the ultimate solution to the problem because the level of the problem is not only legal, but In Brims, Cultural. The system of values, prejudices, customs, and education is the first hurdle that must be faced if we want to change something.

In other words, cultural bias is so ingrained that only radical social policy can fight it: We need to Change of mindsetIt’s not just about regulations! There is a need to dismantle male power, which is still expressed today in politics, finance, and the banking world, through the welfare system that promotes work-life balance for women and throughEducation in schools.

How can we hope that something will change if the ideas remain the same? How can we believe that gender equality becomes effective if we continue to use “two scales and two scales”? Often times, women find it difficult to reconcile the precarious balance between life and work, and they often have to choose to take care of a family or work. This exit stems first and foremost from an old concept according to which even a mother could also desire a job or vice versa, and secondly, only, from the fact that there is no social economy. This valuable and vital system.

The same applies to the education of our boys and girls, which is an education in Italy that does not take into account the financial culture and the opportunities that emanate from it not only for individuals but for the good and progress of society as a whole. It is the ideas that drive actions, which is why education is the basis of cultural transformation.

The future we want starts here.

Vito injured