Gender equality certification provides businesses with a tool to structure and enhance their corporate policies regarding equal opportunities, human resource management, professional growth, and work-life balance. Introduced by national legislation and regulated by UNI/PdR 125:2022, this certification allows companies that meet the requirements to access specific benefits, including the contribution exemption recognized by INPS and advantages in public procurement procedures. The topic gains particular relevance in 2026, in light of the new FAQs developed by Accredia and UNI, which define binding operational guidelines for certification bodies during audits. Furthermore, for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, the guidelines provide differentiated evaluation methods based on company size, with a progressively reduced number of applicable indicators for smaller entities. According to data released by UNI in its Sustainability Report, as of May 2026, there were 14,612 UNI/PdR 125 certified organizations, covering approximately 40,000 sites. Certification requires achieving at least 60% of the maximum score for one's size category and is based on a total of 33 performance indicators. For micro-enterprises, the applicable indicators are reduced to eight, while for small enterprises, there are thirteen. For certified companies, one of the main advantages is the contribution exemption provided by Article 5 of Law No. 162/2021, which can amount to up to 1% of social security contributions paid by the employer, with a maximum limit of 50,000 euros annually per tax code. The certification can also be significant in public contract awarding procedures, where contracting authorities may provide higher scores for companies holding the certificate.
Gender equality certification is a voluntary attestation provided for by Article 46-bis of Legislative Decree No. 198/2006, introduced by Law No. 162/2021. The certificate is issued by an accredited body, pursuant to Regulation (EC) No. 765/2008, to organizations that demonstrate compliance with UNI/PdR 125:2022, published by UNI on March 16, 2022. The regulation was completed by Article 1, paragraphs 145-147, of Law No. 234/2021 and by the decree of the Minister for Equal Opportunities and the Family of April 29, 2022, which adopted the guidelines as a minimum reference parameter. Certified companies are also required to provide annual information on their level of compliance to company trade union representatives and territorial and regional equality counselors. The system is accessible to public and private organizations of any size and therefore also applies to small businesses, including those organized as consortia or business networks registered with the Companies Register. The spread of certification has grown rapidly: from approximately 150 certified organizations in 2022 to 14,612 recorded in May 2026, covering approximately 40,000 sites. As of September 2025, 62 bodies were also accredited by Accredia for the scheme. For a company, obtaining certification means subjecting its organizational system to a structured evaluation across six areas: culture and strategy, governance, HR processes, growth opportunities and inclusion of women, gender pay equity, and protection of parenthood and work-life balance. The evaluation includes a total of 33 performance indicators, both qualitative and quantitative, to which different weights are assigned. A company can only obtain certification by achieving at least 60% of the maximum score provided for its size category. For smaller entities, the system has been calibrated to avoid the full application of all indicators. Micro-enterprises, with one to nine employees, are evaluated on eight KPIs, while small enterprises, with ten to 49 employees, are evaluated on thirteen KPIs. For medium-sized enterprises, with 50 to 249 employees, and for large enterprises, with at least 250 employees, all indicators provided by the guidelines apply.
The 2026 FAQs from Accredia and UNI have introduced important clarifications for businesses and for the bodies responsible for verifying their compliance. In particular, a KPI that is not measurable does not contribute any score, while qualitative indicators are considered satisfied only when the related requirements are fully met. For several indicators, ISTAT and INPS benchmarks referring to the two years preceding the verification must also be used. Specific attention is also paid to the presence of women in managerial positions. When the National Collective Bargaining Agreement (CCNL) applied by the company does not formally provide for the qualification of manager, the role actually performed is considered, based on elements such as the organizational chart and job descriptions, provided that the evaluation is adequately justified and documented. Furthermore, the gender equality policy plays a central role for the company; it must be defined by management and supported by a steering committee and a responsible figure with the necessary organizational and equality competencies. The policy must be made public through the company website.
The certificate is valid for 36 months and must be maintained through specific periodic verifications. Annual surveillance audits are planned, while the re-evaluation of indicators occurs biennially. Upon expiration of the validity period, the company must proceed with renewing the certification. The operational procedures have been further clarified by the third edition of the Accredia-UNI FAQs, published in January 2026 and prescriptive for certification bodies. For an SME, the process begins with an analysis of any deviations from the indicators applicable to its size category. The company must then collect and verify its data, comparing it when necessary with the ISTAT and INPS benchmarks provided by the guidelines. This is followed by the adoption of the management system, through the definition of the company's gender equality policy, the strategic plan, internal responsibilities, and the established bodies. The company can then contact an accredited body for the scheme and initiate the certification audit. Once the certificate is obtained, the company must comply with the obligations for its maintenance, including annual reporting to trade union representatives and equality counselors, and conducting surveillance audits. The 2026 FAQs also clarify that remote audits are permitted exclusively in synchronous mode. Certification bodies can issue the certificate according to UNI/PdR 125:2022, while UNI ISO 30415, related to diversity and inclusion, does not contain certifiable requirements under the gender equality certification scheme.
For businesses, one of the main incentives linked to certification is the contribution exemption provided by Article 5 of Law No. 162/2021. The benefit can amount to no more than 1% of the social security contributions paid by the employer, excluding premiums and contributions due to INAIL, and in any case within the maximum limit of 50,000 euros annually per tax code. This limit corresponds to 4,166.66 euros for each month of certification validity. The measure is financed through an annual allocation of 50 million euros, and if requests exceed available resources, INPS will proceed with the distribution among eligible companies. Applications are submitted through the INPS Benefits Portal, using the SGRAVIO PAR_GEN form, within the annual campaigns established by the Institute. INPS Message No. 3804 of December 16, 2025, set April 30, 2026, as the deadline for applications related to certifications issued by December 31, 2025. Companies that obtain certification during 2026 will submit their application in the subsequent campaign. Once recognized, the exemption is linked to the certification's validity period and does not need to be re-requested for each individual year. For the application, the employer must indicate the average monthly global remuneration, the average employer contribution rate, and the estimated workforce for the certification's validity period. The actual amount of the benefit therefore depends on the employer contributions to which the recognized exemption percentage is applied.
For example, assuming for a company an average monthly remuneration of 2,000 euros per employee, an average employer contribution rate of 30%, and twelve months, the theoretical maximum exemption would correspond to approximately 72 euros annually per employee, before any potential distribution of available resources. A company with five employees would therefore have a theoretical benefit of approximately 360 euros annually, while with ten employees it would reach approximately 720 euros. For 25 employees, the estimate would be approximately 1,800 euros; for 50, approximately 3,600 euros; for 100, approximately 7,200 euros; and for 249 employees, approximately 17,928 euros. This is, of course, a simulation and not the guaranteed amount for the company, as the actual benefit depends on employer contributions, the percentage recognized by INPS, and any potential distribution of available resources.
Certification can also be of interest to companies participating in public tenders and awarding procedures. Article 108, paragraph 7, of Legislative Decree No. 36/2023, in fact, provides that contracting authorities may assign a higher score to economic operators who demonstrate the adoption of gender equality policies through possession of the relevant certification. The regulation was amended by Legislative Decree No. 57/2023, which eliminated the self-certification provided for in the original wording of the Public Contracts Code. Therefore, possession of certification issued by an accredited body is relevant for the assignment of the corresponding score. An additional incentive mechanism is provided by Article 5, paragraph 3, of Law No. 162/2021, which allows for a score to be recognized for certified companies in the evaluation of projects submitted to obtain State aid intended for co-financing investments, when the evaluation is carried out by authorities holding European, national, or regional funds.
In recent years, the path to certification has been accompanied by specific support measures aimed at micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. As part of the PNRR, Unioncamere managed two distinct calls on behalf of the Department for Equal Opportunities to support businesses in the certification process. The first call, published on November 6, 2023, closed on March 28, 2024. A second measure, also open to professionals, collected applications from February 26 to April 18, 2025. As of September 2026, the dedicated Unioncamere portal does not indicate new windows for submitting applications, while companies already admitted can take advantage of the five days of assistance provided by selected experts. For companies that have already obtained UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification, an additional path dedicated to work-life balance is also opening. Starting September 21, 2026, Unioncamere contributions linked to UNI/PdR 192 certification, dedicated to work-life balance policies, can be requested. For companies already holding gender equality certification, an additional contribution of 450 euros is provided. On the contribution front, the implementing decree relating to the relief intended for UNI/PdR 192 certified companies has been signed, and subsequent operational instructions from INPS are awaited. For businesses, gender equality certification is therefore part of a broader system of tools designed to enhance corporate policies regarding equal opportunities, personnel management, professional growth, and work-life balance, with implications that can affect both contribution management and participation in public procurement procedures.