On July 17, we obtained the UNI/PdR 125:2022 Gender Equality Certification. This is more than a formal recognition. It confirms a journey that began two years ago, one we have pursued step by step with conviction and continue to believe in. The independent certification body awarded us a perfect score of 100 out of 100, an achievement we are proud to share with our entire team.
We want to tell the story of this milestone through the authentic voices of the people who made it possible. That is why we begin with the meaning of the certification and the journey behind it, before talking about scores and procedures.
What is the PdR 125 Certification?
PdR 125 is the Italian reference practice that measures a company’s commitment to gender equality. It evaluates both policies and measurable outcomes, including pay equity, career opportunities, work-life balance, and parental support.
Achieving this certification means turning principles that are often taken for granted into concrete, measurable objectives, verified by an independent certification body.
At Aglatech14, 90% of our team is made up of women, and our leadership team is entirely female. While this might suggest that gender equality is already part of our DNA, numbers alone are not enough to earn the certification, let alone achieve the highest possible score. What matters is having structured policies, transparent processes, and a genuine commitment across every aspect of the employee experience, from recruitment to professional development.
In practice, this means reviewing tangible processes. How career paths are defined, how job opportunities are communicated, and how employees are supported when returning from maternity or paternity leave. These are often implicit practices, but the certification requires them to be clearly documented, transparent, and verifiable for everyone.
Two Days of Audit
The certification process took place over two audit days. The first day focused on collecting and reviewing all the required documentation. The second was dedicated to interviews with selected members of our team, followed by a more detailed review of specific aspects related to the submitted documentation.
During the audit, we presented our all-female leadership structure, our employee welfare initiatives, and our approach to human resource management across different areas. What emerged was a consistent and coherent way of managing people, regardless of their role or employment contract.
The Starting Point: Listening to Our Team
Long before drafting procedures or defining performance indicators, we asked ourselves where to begin. The most honest answer was to start with the people who experience our company every day. That is why we chose to build this journey together with our team.
Our starting point was a simple question. How do the people at Aglatech14 experience these topics? We launched an internal survey to better understand our employees’ perceptions, experiences, and expectations regarding gender equality and inclusion.
The responses gave us an honest and valuable picture. They revealed deeply rooted stereotypes, but also a strong willingness to discuss them openly. From there came the idea of giving our people a direct voice through a more personal format, a series of video interviews.
The Interviews
Four video interviews were created as a result of this listening process and are available here. In them, members of our team speak openly and honestly. They share the stereotypes they have recognized in themselves, sometimes without even realizing it, as well as experiences related not only to gender but also to other forms of diversity.
Each person speaks in their own voice, from their own perspective, and through their own story. The fourth and final episode brings the journey full circle. It reflects on everything we have learned so far and looks ahead to the steps we hope to take over the coming months as we continue building an increasingly fair and inclusive workplace.
Employee Welfare Beyond the Numbers
One of the aspects that most interested the external auditors was our employee welfare program. This includes initiatives such as an extra day off for employees’ birthdays, paid volunteering hours introduced this year, and a high degree of flexibility regarding both working hours and workplace location.
These details allowed us to communicate what truly matters to us. The people who work at Aglatech14 are not simply skilled professionals. They are individuals with personal lives, families, hobbies, and interests.
These are values that deserve time and space, and for us they are just as important as professional performance.
A Journey That Continues
For us, this certification is not the result of a one-time achievement. It is the confirmation of a journey that began two years ago and has been built step by step.
Internal policies must be maintained and continuously updated, while results need to be monitored over time. This is work that extends well beyond the audit itself.
Our next challenge is already on the horizon, 2027. We are committed to maintaining the standards we have achieved with the same approach that guided us from the beginning, by continuing to listen to the people who work with us every day.
The Aglatech14 Team
