One out of two Italian women gives up work: a phenomenon to be contained with the reform of corporate welfare.

Edenred Italia, together with the Women and Technologies Association, is organizing a conference on Wednesday, February 24th dedicated to workers and companies entitled "The revolution of Corporate Welfare: simplification and social innovation" to shed light on the benefits and novelties introduced by the Stability Law 2016.

In Europe there are more than 650 thousand mothers who give up work to take care of minor children, adults, the sick, disabled or elderly due to the inadequacy, cost, and availability of care services. And In Italy, the female employment rate is among the lowest in Europe : only 47% of Italian women work, compared to 60% of French women and 70% of German women.

The phenomenon of Feminine renunciation to employment it can be contained, in Italy, with adoption , on the part of companies, of corporate welfare measures that provide employees with a wide range of personal services, such as babysitting, housework, assistance for the elderly and people with disabilities , able to promote The reconciliation between private life and professional activity , The relaunch of female employment and reintegration into the workforce.

This is what emerges from the studies conducted from Edenred, the inventor of the Ticket Restaurant ^® , by virtue of the experience gained in France with the ticket CESU (Chèque Emploi Service Universel) and in the United Kingdom with services of Childcare , and will be presented during the meeting scheduled for Wednesday February 24 starting from from 8:45 a.m. at the Room Sirio of the Milan office located at Via Pirelli 8, and dedicated to workers and companies.

With Women and Technology Association , committed since 2009 to enhancing female talent in technology, innovation, and scientific research, Edenred will offer a comprehensive overview of the scenario, opportunities, and advantages derived from the adoption of new private welfare measures - like the universal voucher for personal services - recently introduced in the Stability Law 2016 and awaiting implementing decree.

"Babysitting services, housework, assistance to the elderly and non-self-sufficient people represent needs that are constantly growing -" declares Alessandra Vultaggio , Head of BU Flexible Benefits at Edenred Italy - and are a challenge for European workers, especially for women. In this scenario, Corporate Welfare represents a valid and effective response that, on one hand, produces an increase in productivity for the company and on the other hand improves the social well-being of workers and their families. Just take a look at the results achieved in France and England to understand how convenient it is for companies, workers, and the state to adopt innovative private welfare tools: 1.4 million jobs in France since 2005 thanks to the universal voucher; 300,000 new self-employed workers and qualified jobs annually, equal to about 1 percent of additional GDP; a 70% increase in productivity and a reduction in absenteeism in the company."

To provide a concrete example of the advantages in favor of employees that, in addition to promoting social well-being, also guarantee economic savings for the companies involved, one can compare a quota provided through welfare and one through a payslip. Thanks to the favorable tax wedge, in fact, 1,000 euros provided in the form of personal services (subsidies for daycare, babysitters or caregivers, scholarships, summer camps, medical check-ups, supplementary pension, health insurance, recreational services) are worth 1,000 euros to the employee (approximately 40% more purchasing power) and cost 1,000 euros to the company (net of IRES and IRAP recovery). A monetary distribution, on the other hand, would cost the company 1,400 euros with a net amount to the employee equal to about 600 euros .

“ Finally - comments Gianna Martinengo , Association of Women and Technologies and President of Didael KTS - even in our country, a great boost is given to Corporate Welfare. A praise goes - regarding the Stability Law 2016 - especially to the flexibility provided for the new measures, thanks to which companies will be able to build a shopping cart of expenses and services that meets the real needs of their employees. This same flexibility, among other things, will also expand Corporate Welfare to small and medium-sized companies".

The topic is very dear to the businesswoman, who has been involved in disseminating the potential of technologies for supporting Corporate Welfare for years, not only in large companies. Just think of the project "Digital Butler: technologies at the service of welfare" started in 2012, aimed at SMEs, and still available.

The measures of Corporate Welfare are, therefore, the tool - among other benefits - to increase the purchasing power of employees , optimize costs for businesses , make emerging black market work within the context of domestic work, encourage female employment and work-life balance policies, with greater revenues for the State .

EVENT PROGRAM
THE REVOLUTION OF CORPORATE WELFARE: SIMPLIFICATION AND SOCIAL INNOVATION

Wednesday, February 24 at Edenred Italia - Sirio Room, Via Pirelli 18 - Milan:

• 8:45 AM - Welcome Coffee
• 9:15 AM - Welcome by Graziella Gavezotti, President of Edenred Italy & CEO of South Europe
• 9:30 AM - "Welfare in Payslip" by Gianna Martinengo, Women and Technologies Association and President of Didael KTS
• 9:45 AM - Presentation by Alessandra Vultaggio, Head of Flexible Benefits BU at Edenred Italy
• 10:30 AM - Open debate
• 11:00 AM - Conclusions by Maria Luisa Nolli, entrepreneur, president of the Women and Technology Association
• 11:30 AM - Light cocktail with individual desk deepening.

Edenred, inventor of the Buono Ticket Restaurant ^® is a global leader in managing targeted funds for businesses, creating and managing solutions designed to optimize the efficiency of all types of organizations and the purchasing power of individual users. The solutions offered by Edenred guarantee that the resources allocated by companies will be used for a specific purpose and allow for the management of:

• the benefits for employed workers Ticket Restaurant ^® , Ticket Alimentation, Ticket CESU, Childcare Vouchers...
• professional expenses (Ticket Car, Ticket Clean Way, Repom…)
• incentives and bonuses (Ticket Compliments, Ticket Kadéos...)

The Group also assists Public Administration and private institutions in managing their social interest programs .
Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Edenred is present in 42 countries with over 6,000 employees, serving 660,000 businesses and public institutions, with 1.4 million affiliated merchants and 41 million users. In 2014, Edenred issued vouchers worth 17.7 billion euros, of which almost 60% in emerging countries.
The Good Ticket Restaurant ^® and other products and services offered by Edenred feature registered trademarks owned by the Edenred group. Follow Edenred on Twitter: @Edenred

Women and Technologies is an association founded in 2009 with the aim of promoting projects aimed at enhancing female talent in technology, innovation, and scientific research; supporting projects and actions aimed at fighting stereotypes and gender discrimination and contributing to guiding young people towards future professions and sustainable entrepreneurial models. From 2009 to date, the Association has designed and implemented 26 projects in partnership with private and public entities such as the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Education, University and Research, the Lombardy Region, the Province of Milan, and the Milan Chamber of Commerce. The Association is open to all those who wish to contribute voluntarily and directly to the shared objectives. It is permeated by the principles of innovation in all its components, starting from its members (women and men) who boast diverse professional experiences and represent excellence in various reference sectors.