Violenza di generelavoroparità

The culture of respect as a starting point

Promoting a company culture based on respect is the foundation for creating an inclusive work environment and is essential for preventing conflicts that can escalate into harassment or violence. For years, the Hera Group — through its Diversity Management team, established in 2011 and made up of people from different company functions — has been committed to fostering a climate of mutual respect. This is achieved through a program of initiatives and projects planned on a biennial basis and aimed at the company’s approximately 10,000 employees. The fight against gender-based violence is one of the strategic areas of the 2025–2026 plan. In this context, the Group has recently launched a new program of listening and training activities. This initiative is described by Alessandra Galeotti, Diversity Manager of the Hera Group

By Editorial team

30 Oct 2025

Alessandra, where does this need come from?
Right now, the society we live in is strongly affected by a climate of gender-based violence. That’s why Hera is responding to the need to address an issue that, unfortunately, has become very topical and is one of the most discussed and deeply felt subjects within our internal online community, the Diversity Hub, where colleagues are free to express their thoughts and opinions on DE&I topics. Moreover, we want the company to be perceived by our people as a safe place, one they can turn to in case they experience any form of harassment, whether inside or outside the workplace.

How was the new training project developed?
We started from respect: where we manage to create an environment of respect, situations of harassment or violence will not arise. We have embarked on a path of awareness that has involved almost 200 people. Through focus groups (with only men, only women, and mixed groups), we explored colleagues’ experiences and perceptions in relation to these topics. What emerged were very diverse experiences and viewpoints. We then organized a dedicated training session for HR staff. Finally, we developed short training modules available on our online learning platform, aimed at the entire company population and especially at those in leadership roles.

Why did you start with HR?
Because HR colleagues have a responsibility for people’s well-being and for building a respectful working environment. Moreover, they may be among the first to deal with any potential cases of harassment or violence of various kinds.

This project fits into a broader framework of initiatives carried out by Hera’s Diversity Management to create a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment. Can you give us some other examples?
Over the years, we have promoted several series of meetings that have helped spread a culture of respect within the company — for example, the “Con il dovuto rispetto” webinars, or more recently, the “Parole che uniscono” project, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of using inclusive language in which everyone feels recognized. In addition, as the Hera Group, we have joined the PARI. Insieme contro la violenza di genere network — an association of companies and organizations that promote awareness initiatives, events, and webinars to foster a culture of respect. However, I’d like to emphasize that combating gender-based violence is just one of the strategic areas we’re focusing on in this two-year period: our approach is intersectional, and it therefore complements and intertwines with the other three strands of our program — inclusive language, neurodivergence, parenthood, and longevity.