Principles and organization

These principles are affirmed in the company’s regulations and its corporate governance (Code of Ethics, ‘Our People’ Policy, Declaration on Respect for Human Rights, the Framework Agreement on Industrial Relations and Remuneration Report), as well as in the mission statement that inspires Eni’s values. They are also outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals indicators, to which Eni’s current corporate commitments and future targets are aligned. These are based on being highly receptive, creative and adaptable – characteristics that the energy transition period demands from our business. D&I governance at Eni requires each process or service line to ensure that activities and objectives under its direct responsibilities are carried out by means of an inclusive approach and operating methods. Overall coordination is ensured by the Diversity & Inclusion unit, which reports to the Director, Human Capital & Procurement Coordination, who in turn reports directly to the CEO. The purpose of this unit is to develop the company’s D&I strategy, develop its portfolio of initiatives and carry out relevant benchmarking and reporting analyses, as well as promote management accountability. These activities are carried out in close collaboration with the Human Resources department, where responsibility for D&I is specifically allocated to the Human Resources Development team. The aim is to promote the growth of an inclusive culture and awareness through management and development processes such as career guidance, assessment and training for everyone working at Eni. Activities are also carried out in collaboration with the Sustainability department, in line with commitments regarding the promotion of equal opportunities and sustainable development.

Eni’s management has committed to ensuring inclusion initiatives are implemented with the support of a target-based performance management system. The main targets shared with management in this most recent period relate to:

• Consolidating and increasing individual feedback aimed at listening, guiding and improving the contribution of all collaborators
• Involving all staff in training courses dedicated to the development of a non-discriminatory and inclusive culture
• Progressively balancing candidate shortlists during the selection stage and by involving development and internal mobility processes
• Increasing the percentage of women joining the company
• Continued focus on indicators relating to female turnover, for which a specific target was confirmed for 2021 even at the European Round Table
• Providing commitment and concrete support for the various initiatives and projects for inclusion and workforce development promoted within the company, such as female role modelling, mentoring and improving intergenerational communication, support for parents, international reskilling projects, D&I communication initiatives etc.

The behavioural objectives included in the performance sheets also refer to the ability to value the team, integration and inclusion, listening, willingness to change, openness to  the new and diversity: these are the foundations of Human Focus, Eni's new directory of skills and behaviour, and personnel assessment parameters at all hierarchical levels, used in all HR management and development processes (from the recruitment and selection phase, through training, to the potential assessment process, performance management and feedback processes). In 2021, all Eni resources were assigned the behavioural objective "Integration and Inclusion” in terms of "engaging effectively with others, welcoming and valuing everyone's contribution and developing a climate of mutual trust", aimed precisely at activating increasingly inclusive cooperation.

To continuously strengthen engagement and involvement, the company carries out periodic internal monitoring surveys with a specific focus on gender, age and region both in terms of participation and results. The most recent survey was carried out in 2019 and had a response rate of 86 per cent (+6 percentage points compared to 2016) and attracted more than 33,000 comments. According to this survey, 83 percent said they were satisfied working at Eni (+13 percentage points compared to 2016), while participation rose from 81 per cent to 84 per cent. Eni has further invested in its continuous listening and feedback process by trialling an artificial intelligence (AI) platform which uses quick and anonymous surveys to analyse internal relationship mechanisms of work teams in real time. The trial, which involved 400 people in a pilot in 2020, with plans for a wider launch in 2021, focused on continuous listening to perceptions on integration and leadership to support continued improvement of internal relational mechanisms. Finally, in 2021, at a historic moment of great change, both in the world of work and in Eni, a work programme has been launched that will make it possible to develop analysis based on Virtual Focus Groups (VFG), virtual discussion groups to elicit the perceptions of our resources on the dynamics that we are all experiencing during this moment of great transformation. Virtual focus groups are conducted on a voluntary basis and are anonymous. Specific listening initiatives will also be launched on the topic of Diversity & Inclusion at the same time.

As stated in the Code of Ethics, Eni has committed to ensuring an environment free from any form of discrimination or abuse by establishing working relationships characterised by fairness, equality, non-discrimination, and attention and respect for the dignity of each individual. If someone is not applying or is about to violate one of the principles of the Code of Ethics, all individuals working at Eni and third parties have a duty to file a report using one of the Whistleblowing Report Channels in accordance with “Annex C – Whistleblowing reports received, including anonymously, by Eni SpA and by its subsidiaries in Italy and abroad”. 

With regard to Whistleblowing, investigations were completed on 74 files in 2021, 12 of which (12 allegations) included aspects of discrimination (6 allegations) and harassment (6 allegations). Of the 12 cases closed in 2021, only 1 resulted “partially founded” in aspects related to harassment against a woman and corrective action were taken in this regard, which involved a disciplinary assessment of the reported employee.

Furthermore, on 21 December 2021, Annex E "Eni against violence and harassment in the workplace " was issued to the MSG "Internal Control and Risk Management System". The objective of this Annex is to define, in accordance with the principles expressed in the Code of Ethics, the general and fundamental reference principles and the prohibited conducts to ensure a working environment free from any form or type of violence and harassment, to which all the members of the corporate administrative and control bodies and all Eni’s employees must commit to.

The Annex also provides guidance on the prohibition of violence and harassment in the workplace, which responds to the regulatory requirement contained within Law No. 4 of 15 January 2021 ratifying and implementing the International Labour Organization Convention No. 190 on the Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the Workplace.