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Vodafone Italia SpA 

Vodafone Italia SpA 

www.vodafone.it

Context and objectives

Vodafone Italia is a multicultural and multinational company, having been part of a global group. As a result, employees from a variety of cultures, languages and backgrounds interact and work together. It therefore needs inclusive policies that can be implemented across different geographical areas. Talk and Rainbow Corner are two projects designed to encourage employees to talk to each other and share their experiences in a safe space. The topics of the sessions are not related purely to romantic and sexual orientation, but also cover gender, minority rights and disability rights, including from an education and parenting perspective.

Description of activities and results

The Talk sessions offered consist of regular online meetings that are open to everyone, regardless of gender. Speakers and ambassadors discuss issues relating to romantic and sexual orientation, inclusion, diversity and rights at work. Not only do these events provide a platform for sharing stories and experiences, but they are also an opportunity to build awareness of and generate information on LGBT+ issues. Many people take part, especially to seek support in the complex role of being a parent.

Rainbow Corner is a twice-weekly project that can be accessed online from all offices, where the Vodafone Italia LGBT+ Chairman offers a listening space to meet with those wanting to learn more about LGBT+ issues. In addition to this, there is a free psychological support service that is open to everyone, which people can turn to for any issues, including education, information and guidance on transitioning and coming out. Based on our regular internal analyses, we found that these projects have contributed considerably to the level of job satisfaction at Vodafone.

Tip

We involved the company’s senior staff to give a human face to the messages we wanted to put across, and we gave a voice to the internal community when designing new proposals for activities to be pursued. This gave greater credibility and strength to the project, which was then embraced by managers and employees.

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The project is funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values program (CERV) of the European Union. The European Commission support for the production of this material does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information.