Chiesi Group: a new supplementary labor agreement in Italy puts people and their needs first

• The new agreement covers the three-year period 2024-2026 and applies to over 2,200 people from Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia employed under Italian law.
• An innovative labor agreement has been created to include many new elements and improvements related to Inclusivity, Equity, and Sustainability, which, in many respects, goes beyond the legal framework in Italy.
• Among the measures to support parenthood: the optional 100% paid parental leave; the parenthood leave - supplementing paternity leave - that also applies to same-sex couples, regardless of gender. Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia add 12 weeks of 100% paid leave to the 10 days required by law.
• Caregivers will be able to benefit from an additional 20 days' leave.
• In a logic of better life harmony, a more sustainable rotation model will be adopted for employees who work in a continuous cycle, with a reduction in working hours to 34 hours per week.
• For female workers who are victims of violence in their private lives and are therefore included in protection programmes, the company guarantees 100% of their wages for a period of three months, in addition to what is provided for by current legislation.
• Comments from CEO Giuseppe Accogli and CHRO Giacomo Mazzariello.
• The satisfaction of the trade unions.

Parma, March 18^th, 2024 – Inclusivity, Equity and Sustainability: these are the underlying principles of the Chiesi Group's new supplementary labor agreement, valid for the three-year period 2024-2026. The agreement, signed with the trade union organizations FILCTEM CGIL, FEMCA CISL and UILTEC UIL of Parma, integrates the Pharmaceutical Chemistry National Collective Labor Agreement (CCNL) and applies to the 2,276 people who work in Italy for Chiesi Farmaceutici and its commercial affiliate Chiesi Italia. In line with the Diversity & Inclusion approach adopted by Chiesi Group some years ago, the new supplementary labor agreement is people-centric and is the result of the Group's desire to have a positive impact on its employees, in particular by promoting equality, understanding unique personal needs, and ensuring a better work-life balance. The main innovations concern optional parental leave, parenthood leave supplementing paternity leave and support for caregivers. These measures are accompanied by numerous improvements - compared to the previous agreement signed in 2021 - for the employees of Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia.

PARENTAL SUPPORT

With regard to parental support, the Chiesi Group's new supplementary labor agreement represents a notable step forward compared to the Italian legislation: the main objective is to encourage the sharing of care responsibilities within the family. The first important innovation concerns optional parental leave (regulated by Legislative Decree 151/2001 and subsequent amendments), with the recognition of the integration of the National Social Security Institute (INPS) allowance up to 100% of salary (it was 60% in the previous company agreement), whereas the Italian labour legislation provides for 30% of salary for optional parental leave.

A notable development is parenthood leave, a concept adopted by the Chiesi Group to supplement paternity leave (Legislative Decree 105/2022) which also applies to same-sex couples, regardless of the sex of the members. In addition to the ten days required by law, the company recognizes an additional 12 weeks of 100% paid leave.

Other measures to support parenthood include the possibility of accepting a part-time job, which can also be granted to parents with children up to the age of ten, additional leave for children's sickness and specialist visits, and financial support, calculated on the basis of the family's Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator (ISEE), to pay for nursery school fees, up to a maximum of 600 euros per month.

WHEN THE EMPLOYEE IS A PATIENT OR A CAREGIVER

The new supplementary labor agreement adopted by Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia for Italy offers a holistic vision: looking at it from a 360° perspective, each employee is a person with specific needs. Depending on the situation, they may be a parent, a patient with specific care needs, or a caregiver who is called upon to help and support their children, parents or family members who need daily assistance.

An important innovation in the new supplementary labor agreement concerns caregivers. In Italy, more than one in three people (38%) look after a relative who is not self-sufficient ("Care 4 caregivers" study, Jointly and Boston Consulting Group, May 2023). In addition to the situations provided for by the national framework for all disability issues, Law 104, to assist family members (within the second degree of kinship or included in the same family status) who require continuous assistance certified by a specialist, Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia employees will be able to benefit from 20 days of additional leave.

Compared to the agreement signed in 2021, the institution of the Solidarity Hours Bank will be strengthened: it will now be possible to offer annual leave to colleagues managing difficult situations at home, whether they need to assist minors or family members who are in a state of health that requires constant care.

With the new supplementary company agreement, Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia ensure greater protection for employees suffering from oncological and/or chronic degenerative diseases.

BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE

In order to meet the demand for a better Life Harmony, a sustainable rotation model will be introduced from the first half of 2024 for all employees in the Global Manufacturing Division who work in a continuous cycle. Two main innovations will be introduced: respect for the circadian process regulated by the biological clock, which also means fewer nights worked, and a reduction in working hours to 34 hours per week. This decision will also have a positive impact on employment in the Parma area, as the implementation of this model will lead to a further increase in the workforce.

For non-shift workers, flexible working hours and remote working continue to be the key elements in improving the work-life balance of employees.

SUPPORTING WOMEN WHO ARE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE

After signing (in November 2022) a Manifesto against Gender Violence, inspired by the EU and Istanbul Conventions, with the FILCTEM CGIL, UILTEC UIL and FEMCA CISL trade unions on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia reaffirm their commitment to preventing and combating gender-based violence. In particular, the company will guarantee 100% of salary for an additional three months to female employees who have been subjected to violence and are enrolled in a protection programme, compared to the current legislation in Italy, which provides for three months of coverage.

FROM FLEXIBLE BENEFITS TO VOLUNTEERING, OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

The new collective labor agreement for Chiesi Farmaceutici and Chiesi Italia, which will apply in Italy, introduces a number of improvements and innovations compared to the previous agreement. To give just a few examples: with regard to the flexible benefits tool, the amount paid to individual employees will increase by more than 70% between 2024 and 2026. In the case of the participation bonus, a sustainability target will be introduced for the first time, in line with the concept of shared value based on the actions of the Chiesi Group. In addition, eligible employees will be able to request the conversion of part or all of the bonus into flexible benefits: in this case, the person will be recognized with an increased amount of 15%.

With regard to corporate volunteering, the possibility of accessing an annual package of eight hours is introduced, which can be used for projects aimed at supporting the most vulnerable categories, promoting multiculturalism and integration, and protecting the environment. Other hours are also granted for relevant volunteering and for employees who offer their services to third sector associations on an individual basis.

A SUSTAINABLE COMPANY THAT PUTS PEOPLE AND THEIR NEEDS FIRST: A MODERN AND DISTINCTIVE LABOUR AGREEMENT

Giuseppe Accogli, CEO of the Chiesi Group, proudly commented: "People, together with Prosperity, Patients and Planet, is one of the four pillars of our Sustainability Strategy. When we talk about our employees, we aim to promote their well-being and support their professional and personal development. The new company labour agreement is a factual demonstration of our commitment as a sustainable company and of our desire to take care of our employees. I would like to highlight the modernity and uniqueness of this agreement in a number of aspects where Chiesi Groups goes beyond the current legislative framework for labor contracts in Italy, such as: support for parenthood, protection of caregivers and patients in the employment relationship, gender equality and inclusion".

Giacomo Mazzariello, Chief HR Officer of the Chiesi Group, underlines the centrality of people and how the new company agreement represents a new step in a journey that began years ago: "People, with their authentic needs that make them unique, are at the heart of the new agreement, which represents the evolution of the path we have taken in the areas of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, in line with our nature as a Benefit Company and certified B Corp. We strongly believe that by investing in the wellbeing of our employees and creating an enjoyable working environment that supports their growth, we can unlock their full potential, create the conditions for sustainable and long-term business success and ensure the attractiveness of the Chiesi Group. We want to continue to be the employer of choice in a sector - the biopharmaceutical sector - that is increasingly competitive, international, and hungry for talent".

THE VOICE OF THE UNIONS

"The renewal of the Chiesi Group supplementary labor contract is always an important agreement both for the workers of the company and for the territory. - said Marco Todeschi, Davide Doninotti, Sarah Leonelli and Germano Giraud of FILCTEM CGIL, UILTEC UIL and FEMCA CISL provincial, together with the trade union representatives - It is an innovative contract from the point of view of rights and the reconciliation of work and family life, it is multidimensional and transversal because it combines economic effects, family balance, protection, health, and safety. The reduction of working hours, support for parenthood and fragility are the guidelines that we always intend to follow in territorial renewal".

About Chiesi Group

Chiesi is an international, research-focused biopharmaceuticals group that develops and markets innovative therapeutic solutions in respiratory health, rare diseases, and specialty care. The company’s mission is to improve people’s quality of life and act responsibly towards both the community and the environment.

By changing its legal status to a Benefit Corporation in Italy, the US, and France, Chiesi’s commitment to create shared value for society as a whole is legally binding and central to company-wide decision-making. As a certified B Corp since 2019, we’re part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. The company aims to reach Net-Zero greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by 2035.

With over 85 years of experience, Chiesi is headquartered in Parma (Italy), operates in 31 countries, and counts more than 6,500 employees. The Group’s research and development centre in Parma works alongside 6 other important R&D hubs in Canada, China, France, Sweden, the UK and the U.S.