by InTrieste
Women have been the main drivers of employment growth in Friuli Venezia Giulia since 2018, according to Alessia Rosolen, the regional government’s labor and education commissioner, who spoke Monday at an event marking the renewal of a gender-equality certification for Officine FVG.
The event, titled “Three Years of Commitment, Many Stories to Tell,” was held at Confindustria Udine, the regional business association, in the Torre di Santa Maria. It brought together company president Enzo Tulisso, Campoformido Mayor Massimiliano Petri and other local representatives.
Rosolen said employment growth between 2018 and 2026 had been driven by women, accompanied by a significant decline in both the number of women outside the labor force and the number of unemployed women. She attributed the shift in part to demographic changes and the evolving needs of regional businesses.
The certification process, she said, reflects an organization’s commitment to equal opportunities and to policies that help employees balance professional and personal responsibilities. At Officine FVG, the process has coincided with an increase in the proportion of women employed by the company, she said.
Rosolen called for closer cooperation between public institutions and businesses to expand such initiatives across the region’s economy.
The regional government has supported companies seeking gender-equality certification through dedicated programs and funding from the European Social Fund. Its broader approach links employment policies with housing, transportation, education and public services, with the aim of making it easier for people to combine work and family life.
She also cited regional legislation on social innovation introduced in 2025, which seeks to coordinate public policies and local services more closely.
The region allocates €10 million a year to employment incentives, with a priority on hiring young people, Rosolen said. She called on businesses to complement public investment in education and training by offering adequate contracts and long-term career prospects.
“It is essential that young people can build their future in our territory,” she said, arguing that employers have a responsibility to retain the skills developed through education and training.
Eleonora Lutterotti, the regional equality adviser, said gender-equality policies could benefit businesses as well as employees by strengthening competitiveness and making better use of women’s skills. She urged companies to take advantage of available support and introduce measures that promote equal opportunities in the workplace.
Rosolen also pointed to declining birth rates as a challenge extending beyond individual families to society as a whole. Greater awareness of demographic pressures, she said, was helping to reshape perceptions of the roles of women and young people.
She said sustained efforts by public institutions and employers would be necessary to maintain progress toward greater gender equality in the workplace.
