Doing business in harmony with the environment that surrounds us, generating profit and, at the same time, contributing to the creation of shared value for the community, giving a positive push towards a future that really puts people at the centre, emphasising responsibility, transparency and sustainability: this is Chiesi's purpose. It is not a dream, but a reality in the making, in which we firmly believe.
The mission of Chiesi, a B Corp certified Benefit Corporation, is to improve people's quality of life by supporting patients and those close to them throughout their care, while at the same time responding to the needs of society. B Corp certification cannot remain just a boast. On the contrary, it requires a concrete approach in order to be a positive force within society rather than merely an extractor of common resources for the benefit of the few.
The Group is now ready to launch a Human Rights Policy, soon to be extended to all 31 branches, which puts every aspect of company life under a new lens. Integrity, ethics, fairness, honesty - values that have always underpinned our way of doing business - thus take on a new dimension.
"Talking about human rights is never trivial, never taken for granted. We need only look around us to realise how often these rights are guaranteed on paper but often completely and tragically ignored in the real world. Exploitation of minors, inhuman working conditions, discrimination - those that are out in the open and those that are more subtle and difficult to detect - are the order of the day. That is why talking about policy for the protection of rights is not trivial. On the contrary, it is fundamental, especially in a company like Chiesi, that aims to achieve a new way of doing business. We are certain that it is possible to generate profit by creating shared value, putting people at the centre of the project, because they are the driving force behind everything", says Giacomo Mazzariello, Chief Human Resources Officer of the Chiesi Group.
Our approach starts from a fundamental point of reference: the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which clearly identify the priorities our society must set to achieve peace, prosperity and justice for all. Based on our capacities, skills and resources, we believe we can contribute to the achievement of 9 specific SDGs. Of these, in particular, we want to focus on 5, “Gender Equality”, and 10, “Reduced Inequalities”.
Concrete symbols of what the company is doing with regard to these two objectives are the Manifesto against Gender Violence, signed with the CGIL, CISL and UIL trade unions, the Certification for Gender Equality, received from Bureau Veritas, and the achievement of the “zero gender pay gap”, i.e. equal pay for men and women at the same level and job description.
Our Human Rights Policy is based on four fundamental pillars: to involve all functions in the project; to provide the right means to identify possible areas of risk so as to enable timely intervention; to create a solid basis of trust with stakeholders, initiating a dialogue that allows for the exploration of possible issues and concerns; and to accompany employees towards greater awareness.
Specifically, Chiesi does not tolerate any form of child abuse and/or exploitation. The age of our employees will be carefully checked and no night or overtime shifts will be assigned to persons under the age of 18 (legally fit for work according to national regulations). The use of force in any form, whether physical or psychological, harassment, threats and any treatment that is inhuman or denigrating, will also not be tolerated. Through the concrete application of the Human Rights Policy and implementation of control mechanisms, it will be our task to ensure that the dignity and rights of persons are preserved and respected at all times. Any discrimination based on sex, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation and political views is prohibited. All trade union rights of workers (associations, organisations, representation) will, of course, be protected and special attention will be paid to the working environment.
In fact, Chiesi is committed to ensuring the highest standards in health and safety, promoting healthy behaviour and making employees more aware through adequate information and providing training processes involving everyone. The focus will not only be on safety and physical health, but also on the more emotional and psychological aspect, with the aim of consolidating a harmonious environment, based on respect and trust, that allows everyone to feel at ease, enabling the best self-expression.
Through this Policy, it is intended to complete “an ecosystem'” of tools aimed at protecting and respecting human rights in all aspects. Together with the Code of Interdependence, the Diversity & Inclusion Policy, the Wellbeing Guideline & Strategy and the Manifesto against Gender Violence, Chiesi is concretely committed to promoting an inclusive and respectful work environment that protects all its employees, suppliers and collaborators.
In order to achieve this, it will be essential to monitor the activities of all actors, to support the process with adequate training, to show valuable flexibility to adapt the Human Rights Policy not only to regulatory changes, but also to try to intercept new needs that may emerge, and, of course, to intervene promptly in the event of infringements.
