UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification attests that an organisation runs a gender equality management system, measured with 33 KPIs across 6 areas. It is voluntary in Italy, granted by an accredited certification body, and requires at least 60% of the score. It lasts three years, with annual surveillance. For companies bidding on public tenders or seeking social security relief, it is less optional than it looks.
We write as a certified company: Zendata holds UNI/PdR 125:2022 and publishes its own documents in its gender equality area: sample policy and reporting form. This page is the guide for those who have not started yet. General information, not legal advice nor the opinion of a certification body.
What UNI/PdR 125:2022 is
It is the reference practice published by UNI, the Italian standards body, on 16 March 2022, defining how to build and measure a gender equality management system. Its official title is «Guidelines on the management system for gender equality requiring specific KPIs on gender equality policies in organisations» (Department for Equal Opportunities).
Three sources make it legally relevant:
| Source | What it does |
|---|---|
| Law 162 of 5 November 2021 | Adds Article 46-bis to the Equal Opportunities Code (Legislative Decree 198/2006), creating the «gender equality certification». Article 5 provides the contribution relief |
| Prime Ministerial Decree of 29 April 2022 (Official Gazette no. 152, 1 July 2022) | Sets the minimum parameters for certification by reference to UNI/PdR 125:2022 |
| Legislative Decree 36/2023, Public Contracts Code | Art. 106(8): 20% lower bid guarantee. Art. 108(7): extra points in tenders |
The measure is also a PNRR (Italy’s Recovery Plan) investment: Mission 5, Component 1, Investment 1.3, «Gender equality certification system».
Not to be confused with UNI ISO 30415 on diversity and inclusion: that is guidance with no requirements, so it cannot be certified (Accredia FAQ, 2026 edition).
Who can get certified and who must
No private company is legally required to certify. Any organisation of any size or legal form, public or private, can apply. It does not apply to self-employed people with no employees or staff (Accredia FAQ).
Who has the strongest reasons to do it:
- companies bidding for public contracts: Art. 108(7) of the Public Contracts Code requires contracting authorities to award extra points to certified companies, and Art. 106(8) lowers the guarantee by 20%, stackable with other reductions (Equal Opportunities, incentives);
- companies with significant payroll: relief of up to 1% of employer social security contributions, capped at EUR 50,000 a year per tax code, for the certificate’s validity;
- companies applying for public funding: national and regional calls can reward certified applicants.
A different obligation that is often confused with it: companies with more than 50 employees must file a report on the situation of male and female staff every two years (Art. 46, Legislative Decree 198/2006). It is required even without certification, and its data feed the KPIs anyway.
The 6 areas and 33 KPIs
UNI/PdR 125 scores six weighted areas: you need at least 60 points out of 100 to be certified. Each KPI gives a score weighted by its area (UNI).
| Area | Weight | KPIs | What it looks at, in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Culture and strategy | 15% | 7 | Strategic plan, listening channels including anonymous ones, training on stereotypes and bias, perception surveys |
| Governance | 15% | 5 | Dedicated oversight, budget, equality goals assigned to management, under-represented gender on boards |
| HR processes | 10% | 6 | Neutral hiring and appraisal, turnover by gender, succession, post-maternity protection, harassment and mobbing contacts |
| Growth opportunities and inclusion of women | 20% | 7 | Share of women in the workforce, among managers, in the first reporting line and with budget authority |
| Gender pay equity | 20% | 3 | Pay gap at the same grade, promotions of women, access to variable pay |
| Parenthood protection and work-life balance | 20% | 5 | Return-to-work services, policies beyond the national collective agreement, paternity leave uptake |
KPIs apply in proportion to size. The practice uses four clusters: micro (1–9 staff), small (10–49), medium (50–249), large (250+). For micro organisations 8 KPIs apply: the maximum is 35.25 points and the threshold is 21, i.e. 60% of that maximum.
Three Accredia rules move the result more than people expect:
- A KPI without data scores zero. Indicators cannot be excluded or the calculation altered.
- Each legal entity stands alone. In a group with several companies, each must reach its own 60%.
- Some benchmarks must be requested from Istat and INPS. KPIs comparing the company with its sector average (2-digit ATECO code) need data from those agencies, not the sample figures in the practice’s appendix.
The management system: what to build
Good numbers are not enough: UNI/PdR 125 requires a documented management system with roles, a plan, monitoring and review. Chapter 6 lists the minimum pieces.
- Gender equality policy. Set by top management with the steering committee, communicated internally and to stakeholders, reviewed periodically and published on the organisation’s website. It must reference at least the policies on people management, careers and communication.
- Steering committee. Appointed by management, made up at least of the CEO (or an owner’s delegate) and the HR director or equivalent. There is also a responsible person with organisational and gender expertise.
- Strategic plan. For each theme: processes involved, strengths and weaknesses, measurable goals, actions to close gaps, KPI monitoring frequency and owners.
- Actions on six themes. Recruitment, career management, pay equity, parenthood and care, work-life balance, prevention of abuse and harassment (clauses 6.3.2.1–6.3.2.6).
- Training at all levels, including against gender bias and stereotypes.
- Communication plan, internal and external, consistent with the policy.
- Internal audits under ISO 19011, with independent, gender-balanced teams.
- Nonconformity management and a management review at least once a year.
Anyone running ISO 9001 will recognise the structure: policy, planning, implementation, checking, review. The systems can be integrated, and audit time is sized accordingly.
Reporting: what UNI/PdR 125 requires
The practice requires an anonymous reporting method for abuse and harassment that protects whoever reports. This is clause 6.3.2.6, part of a wider prevention block. The organisation must:
- identify the risk of any physical, verbal or digital abuse in light of health and safety at work;
- prepare a plan to prevent and manage harassment at work;
- run periodic zero-tolerance training at all levels, including sexual harassment;
- provide anonymous reporting;
- run employee surveys on experiences of discomfort or disrespect;
- assess workplaces and analyse reported events.
The company chooses how to assess harassment risk: there is no obligation to put it in the statutory risk assessment document (Accredia FAQ). Reports received must then be recorded as nonconformities, with the actions taken to remove their causes (clause 6.4.6).
There is a second, less cited «reporting» requirement: clause 6.3.2.3 asks for a company job catalogue that details the collective agreement’s one, so employees can report pay disparities.
This is not whistleblowing under Legislative Decree 24/2023. That is a separate obligation with its own scope, channels and protections. Many companies run both on the same platform with a separate channel for harassment and gender equality. That works as long as anonymity and handling remain consistent with both sets of rules.
A concrete example of a channel — dedicated email, a form that can be filled in anonymously, post — is the one we use: Zendata reporting form.
How to get certified: the steps
The typical path has five phases: gap analysis, building the system, internal audit, certification audit, surveillance.
| Phase | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gap analysis | Collect HR data by gender, compute KPIs, compare with the threshold | HR, administration, optional consultant |
| 2. Management system | Policy, steering committee, strategic plan, procedures, reporting channel, communication plan | Management, steering committee |
| 3. Internal audit and review | ISO 19011 internal check, management review | Independent internal auditors |
| 4. Certification audit | The body checks the system and KPIs and interviews people at every level | Accredited body |
| 5. Maintenance | Annual surveillance, KPI reassessment every two years, renewal in year three | Body + steering committee |
Only accredited bodies (in Italy, by Accredia, under ISO/IEC 17021-1) issue certificates valid for the legal benefits. The certificate must carry the UNI mark and the accreditation body’s mark: this is what INPS checks for the relief (INPS, message 2844/2024). Remote audits are allowed only as live sessions.
Cost and timing: verifiable orders of magnitude
There is no certification price: there are two items, preparation and audit, plus annual surveillance. What public sources support:
| Item | Driven by | Public reference |
|---|---|---|
| Certification audit | Days computed with IAF MD 5 on equivalent headcount: 100% of management, HR, training, equality system, legal and communication staff, plus 10% of everyone else | Minimum 1.5 days for initial certification (Accredia FAQ) |
| Audit day rate | Chosen body | The 2025 Unioncamere PNRR call covered up to EUR 1,200 per day, maximum EUR 10,245 per certification (excl. VAT) |
| Technical assistance | Starting maturity, HR data available | Same call: up to EUR 2,049 (4 support days + 1 pre-assessment day) |
| Maintenance | Annual surveillance and three-year renewal | Certification body quote |
The Unioncamere call is closed: applications ran from 26 February to 18 April 2025, and admitted companies had to be certified by 30 June 2026 (Unioncamere). Its amounts remain useful as a market reference set by a public body, not as a price list. Check active regional and chamber of commerce calls.
Timing. There is no official duration. The biggest factor is data availability: a company that already has HR data by gender and an ISO system reaches the audit much sooner than one that has to rebuild them. Some KPIs need data covering the two years before the audit.
INPS relief: neither automatic nor unlimited. Companies apply with the PAR_GEN online form on the INPS incentives portal. In the latest round, companies certified by 31 December 2025 could apply by 30 April 2026 (Italian Labour Consultants). Funding is EUR 50 million a year: if applications exceed it, the relief granted can be below 1%. Companies already approved do not reapply while the certificate is valid.
Common mistakes
- Policy written but not published on the website. It is an explicit requirement.
- A steering committee on paper only. The audit interviews people at every level: if nobody knows it exists, it shows.
- KPIs estimated instead of measured. An indicator with no data scores zero.
- A reporting channel that is not anonymous, or run by someone who could be the subject of reports.
- Counting the relief as guaranteed income. It depends on annual funding and the INPS allocation.
- Certifying the parent company and assuming the group is covered. Each legal entity needs its own 60%.
- Stopping at the certificate. Annual surveillance checks that previous findings were closed and critical KPIs improve.
Where automation helps (and where it does not)
We build AI agents, so we say this carefully: the hard part of UNI/PdR 125 is collecting and computing data, not writing documents. Extracting gender-disaggregated data from payroll and HR systems, computing pay gaps by grade, preparing the annual KPI report and tracking actions and nonconformities are repetitive tasks that can be automated with controls.
Where AI should not go: deciding on reports, assessing people, replacing the steering committee. And if an AI system is used in hiring or staff evaluation, the AI Act and Italy’s Law 132/2025 apply too: see AI agents and permissions and Law 132/2025 article by article.
FAQ
What is UNI/PdR 125:2022 certification?
Italy’s gender equality certification under Article 46-bis of the Equal Opportunities Code. UNI/PdR 125:2022 defines the management system and 33 KPIs across 6 areas; 60% is required.
Is it mandatory?
No. It is voluntary, but it brings mandatory extra points in public tenders, a 20% lower bid guarantee and contribution relief of up to 1% (capped at EUR 50,000 a year).
What are the 6 areas?
Culture and strategy (15%), Governance (15%), HR processes (10%), Growth and inclusion of women (20%), Pay equity (20%), Parenthood and work-life balance (20%).
What does it require on reporting?
An anonymous reporting method for abuse and harassment (clause 6.3.2.6), with a prevention plan, zero-tolerance training, surveys and analysis of reported events.
How much does it cost?
Preparation plus audit days, plus surveillance. Public reference: the 2025 PNRR call covered up to EUR 1,200 per day and EUR 10,245 per certification, plus EUR 2,049 of assistance (excl. VAT). The call is closed.
How long does it last?
Three years, with annual surveillance and KPI reassessment every two years.
Can a micro-enterprise certify?
Yes: 8 KPIs apply and the threshold is 21 points out of 35.25. It does not apply to self-employed people with no employees.
Sources
- Department for Equal Opportunities – How to get certified and company incentives
- UNI – UNI/PdR 125:2022 launch
- Accredia – UNI/PdR 125 FAQ, 2026 edition
- Law 162/2021 and Legislative Decree 36/2023 on Normattiva
- INPS – gender equality contribution relief
- Unioncamere – PNRR funding for certification
Read next
- Gender equality at Zendata: policy, communication plan and reporting form
- Zendata certifications (ISO 9001 and UNI/PdR 125)
- Law 132/2025 article by article
- AI and work: roles and skills
If you are preparing for certification and the bottleneck is extracting and computing HR data every year, we can look at the flow together. Write to info@zendata.it.
Pietro Ciattaglia, CEO of Zendata AI, Rome