Promoting a healthy work-life balance is not just a matter of corporate social responsibility, but a genuine driver of competitiveness and economic growth for companies. This is confirmed by data compiled by Unioncamere and its Tagliacarne Research Center: companies that invest in initiatives to promote employee well-being and better work-life balance outperform their peers. In 2026, 35% of these companies reported an increase in revenue compared to the previous year (versus 22% of those that do not make such investments), 20% report an increase in employment (compared to 10% of the others), and 45% have already adopted or are about to adopt digital technologies (compared to 22% of companies less attentive to these issues).
Precisely to strengthen this link between employee well-being and productivity, the Department for Family Policies and the Department for Equal Opportunities of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, together with Unioncamere, are launching a 7.5 million euro initiative to support companies in adopting a new certification program specifically designed around work-life balance, to which the government has also linked an exemption from social security contributions. The initiative launched by the Ministry for Family, Birth Rates, and Equal Opportunities and Unioncamere implements the 2025–2027 National Plan for the Family and the 2021–2026 National Strategy for Gender Equality, with the specific goal of helping 1,000 businesses obtain certification within one year.
Balancing work and family life is an essential pillar of support for families and a driver of both economic and social development – states Eugenia Roccella, Minister for Family, Birth Rates, and Equal Opportunities – Creating work environments that are welcoming to parents, and in particular to mothers, who are most affected by the challenges of balancing work and family life, is not a sunk cost but a profitable investment for everyone: for families, for businesses, and for society as a whole. That is why our government has not only expanded leave benefits, facilitated access to child care services, supported families through direct assistance, and supported working mothers with specific initiatives, but has also promoted, from day one, a strategic alliance with the world of work and business. The new work-life balance certification moves precisely in this direction, and the decision to link it to a reduction in social security contributions for certified companies is intended to send a clear message regarding social responsibility and the promotion of welcoming and vibrant communities.
Investing in organizational well-being is not a secondary activity, but a strategic lever that directly impacts productivity, talent attraction, innovation, and reputation – emphasizes Unioncamere President Andrea Prete. – Companies that invest in activities that improve the health and well-being of their employees and that implement initiatives aimed at balancing family and work life also perform better than others. Based on this evidence, Unioncamere has reaffirmed its collaboration with the Department for Equal Opportunities and the Department for the Family, launching today an initiative aimed at companies that wish to certify their commitment to work-life balance. This marks a new area of focus for the chamber system, building on its previous efforts to promote gender equality certification.
The cornerstone of the program is the UNI/PdR 192:2026 reference standard, the technical specification that defines the requirements and key performance indicators (KPIs) for management systems aimed at achieving a work-life balance.
Through the public notice, companies headquartered and operating in Italy with at least one employee, with 60% of the funding reserved for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, will be eligible for non-repayable grants provided in the form of free services, designed to assist and support businesses in obtaining certification related to the new practice.
The program includes two complementary lines of action.
The first concerns technical assistance and technical-management support services. To provide this support, Unioncamere will establish a dedicated list of qualified experts, including both individual professionals and organizations such as consulting firms and business networks, selected through a public call for applications that verifies their experience in management systems or work-life balance.
The second line of support covers the costs associated with obtaining the initial work-life balance certification. Eligible companies must select an accredited certification body from those listed on the official registry. The subsidy for certification varies based on company size (measured by number of employees), up to a maximum of 12,000 euros per company.
To qualify for the incentives, companies must pass an online self-assessment test designed to evaluate their level of maturity regarding work-life balance.
Applications must be submitted via Infocamere’s Restart platform starting at 10:00 a.m. on September 21, 2026. Applications will be evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis in the order they are received, and all eligible support and certification programs must be completed by June 30, 2027.
