Equi-Lab celebrated 5 years of activity

Equi-Lab, Ticino's competence centre for work-life balance and the valorisation of gender differences, whose committee members include USI professors Annamaria Astrologo and Barbara Antonioli Mantegazzini, celebrated its first 5 years of activity on 7 May. The event was held at the new headquarters in Lugano, in the heart of the Maghetti district, in the presence of around 80 guests.

Established as an evolution of the 20-year experience of the Consultori (Giuridico Donna &Lavoro, Sportello Donna and Antenna Sociale) and of COOPAR (specialised in gender budgeting reports), Equi-Lab aims to act as an equal opportunity planning network with institutions and enterprises. From 2019, it has a cantonal mandate to implement the family-friendly enterprise policy measures introduced by the 2018 tax-social reform. In the first five years of its activity, Equi-Lab has accompanied around 35 employers (with a total of just under 5,000 employees) through reconciliation audits, gender budgeting reports, legal advice, or advice on the development of measures and policies. It has met with more than 1,500 users, i.e. an average of 300 per year, to meet their individual needs. It has provided 70 courses, 40 of which were specifically mandated by local authorities and organisations. Additionally, it has organised and participated in over 30 awareness-raising events, constantly monitored the quality of research and communication, and initiated a number of synergy projects.

These achievements were reviewed by Equi-Lab Committee Chair Mariacristina Cedrini at the opening of the celebrations. State Councillor Marina Carobbio Guscetti and Municipal Councillor Karin Valenzano Rossi, respectively, brought greetings from the Cantonal Government and the City of Lugano, emphasising the commitment of the local government in favour of reconciliation and gender equality and their support for the work carried out by Equi-Lab. The theme of "Listening", a talent that the association has trained extensively in these first five years, was the leitmotif of the evening.

In the first speech of the lineup, "Collaborating and Concerting", Dr Paolo Paolantonio, a researcher at the Research and Development Division of Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana, guided the guests through a fascinating and unusual "Listening" experience, to discover the value of balance and differences in music. Morena Ferrari Gamba, President and Senior Partner of Ledermann, Wieting & Partners, interpreted "Listening" as a key to understanding labour market trends from her privileged observatory as a specialist in personnel selection. Giacomo Jori, Associate Professor of Italian Literature and member of the Equal Opportunities Delegation of Università della Svizzera italiana, explored the generative and design dimension of "Listening", taking his cue from the experience of the Gender Budgeting conducted by USI with EquiLab.

Particularly welcome was the presence of Chiara Simoneschi Cortesi, former National Councillor, who closed the proceedings by emphasising that de facto equality, a principle anchored in our Constitution, can only be achieved when care responsibilities are equally divided between the sexes: a cultural evolution that must be accompanied by adequate family policies and structural interventions to strengthen measures and tools for reconciliation.

For more information, you can read the official press release here.