It’s a comparison that hasn’t gone unnoticed at Ferrari, where equality between men and women is not just something they casually talk about over coffee; it is a fundamental aspect of working life in which they strive day and night to succeed. And, like all things worth striving for, success hasn’t happened overnight.

Last year, Ferrari became the first Italian company to be awarded the Equal Salary Certificate, providing equal pay to both men and women holding the same qualifications and positions within the company. It was the first step in a long journey.

“We are proud to receive this certification”, said the company at the time. “Equality of treatment and opportunity is not simply about the essential principle of equity. It is a fundamental pillar to attract, retain and develop the finest talents to foster innovation and our long-term growth”.

Equality through collaboration, respect and trust are a fundamental aspect of working life at Ferrari

Of course, it would have been easy to have left things there. A certificate, global recognition, an appreciative workforce: Mission accomplished. But Ferrari have never been a company to rest on their laurels and for them, 2020 was just the beginning

Last year’s certificate came after eight months of hard scrutiny from the international audit firm PwC, who use European Commission recognized methodology for their studies. This year Ferrari strengthened their efforts to make the workplace even more inclusive than twelve months ago, looking past just the basic notion of equal pay, and into less tangible but just as crucial concepts of camaraderie, mutual respect and most importantly, trust.

Those endeavours paid dividends this month as the PwC put the claims to the test, studying in great depth the various company initiatives that have been put into place over the last year. Focus groups and interviews were conducted across the entire spectrum of the Ferrari workforce, from the Chairman to the factory floor and the result has been a reconfirmation of the equal salary certification, not just for the Italian operation but for North America too.

For a company whose winning DNA is built on attracting, retaining and developing the very best talent available, it’s testament to their success that they believe merit, not gender is how you succeed in the modern age.