Human Resources

Freedom of association is a human right ratified by the main international conventions and various state regulations. The Group has always guaranteed the freedom of association of its employees, establishing, in compliance with local regulations, practices and mutual roles, a constant dialogue with these counterparties.

Carraro has always engaged in open and transparent relations with Trade Unions and workers’ representatives both at its Italian sites, where regulatory developments and a background of industrial relations has facilitated an admirable level of maturity in this regard, and at its plants in other countries, where the Group’s companies have been open to interaction with emerging trade union organisations.

The approach to industrial relations adopted by the Carraro Group is based on the respect of the mutual roles and positions and a constant commitment to constructive dialogue.

Management of human resources

The management of human resources within the Group aims to demonstrate the capacity to attract and integrate different professional profiles in a company that requires a diverse range of skills, a factor that distinguishes Carraro from other companies in the region.

Furthermore, the global scale of the Group, in terms of the location of its own sites and those of its clients and suppliers, demands that Group employees and collaborators demonstrate sufficient willingness to interact with counterparties in different foreign companies as well as to work with colleagues from other countries and cultures in pursuit of shared goals.

The HR strategies of the Group must meet the demand for flexibility resulting from market demands concerning the distribution of work shifts in the production cycle, the need to entrust projects involving new processes or products to mixed Italian-international work groups and the need to appoint management or control roles to people to be seconded to another country, with the relative organisational repercussions in terms of travel and transfers.

When defining working hours, the Group also considers the personal needs of employees by providing flexibility (parental leave, flexible start and finish times, part time opportunities) within the limits of an efficient organisation, as part of its fundamental belief that promoting a reasonable work-life balance is an essential element for better professional performance.

The Carraro Group operates in a multinational context, interacting with commercial partners through a team composed of employees from all of the countries in which the Group operates.

This context, characterised by employees of different genders, religions and cultures, represents both a challenge and an enormous benefit to be optimised and carefully managed, transforming it into a competitive advantage as well as a concrete representation of shared human values. 

The Group has always adopted a philosophy open to the inclusion of different skills and personalities without the fear of losing its corporate identity, in the belief that such an approach enriches its intangible heritage by maintaining a firm stance against any form of discrimination. 

The Group's commitment to diversity, equal opportunities and non-discrimination is unequivocally expressed by the Group's Code of Ethics, Diversity Policy and Human Rights Policy; one example of its implementation is the provision of a prayer room dedicated to Muslim workers operating at the offices of the Parent Company.

Protection of Human Rights

Relations with employees are managed in accordance with national legislation and international conventions on human rights. In this regard, all executive personnel, or those responsible for the management of human resources, are constantly informed on matters of compliance with local employment legislation.

To identify and, where possible, prevent the risks associated with breaches of human rights in all of its offices and operating areas, the Group:

• has included in its Code of Ethics a specific reference to respect for human rights;
• regularly notifies all employees and collaborators of its human rights principles through the available channels (direct written notification and through company noticeboards, email, Intranet and the company website);
• raises awareness among its employees through the training programme developed to promote the knowledge and understanding of the Code of Ethics and, in the case of Italian associate companies, the Organisational Model pursuant to Legislative Decree no. 231/2001;
• promotes the assumption of responsibility by its suppliers in this regard and requires all new suppliers to comply with the principles of conduct set forth by the Code of Ethics.

Services for employees

Carraro pays particular attention to the working and living conditions of its employees in Italy and abroad, offering appropriate financial and social support mechanisms where demand is greatest. 

The main services provided by the Group are:

• The company canteen, open during the day and at night depending on timetables and shifts, which ensures that all employees at its industrial plants have access to a service at their place of work, reducing the number of journeys made outside the plant;
• For companies in India and China, the collective transport service to and from work, paid for by the company, established to minimise transportation costs by other means;
• Flexible working hours and other part-time solutions offered to employees in Italy and certain foreign companies (Brazil and North America) to provide support for workers in terms of their social and family lives;
• Life and Health insurance policies, offered in Italy and in many of the Group’s international companies;
• Supplementary health insurance coverage for all italian, brasilian, indian, US staff and partially for Argentinian too.
• Welfare programmes, financial support in the case of disability and other minor benefits offered to employees of the company in China; 
• At the offices of Carraro S.p.A. and Carraro Drive Tech S.p.A. in Campodarsego, certain benefits have been established for Muslim workers such as a dedicated prayer room and a selection of dishes to meet their dietary customs.

The Carraro Group considers the provision of training its employees as an essential factor to the growth of the company; training is an important process that Carraro aims to optimise from the very beginning of an employee’s professional career, accompanying its collaborators throughout their career paths.

Relations with schools

Furthermore, in order to develop technical expertise, reduce integration times for new employees and stimulate the recruitment of new resources, for a number of years the Group has promoted relations with technical schools and universities in order to offer work experience programmes and combined school-work initiatives.

Special programs and sites

One initiative worthy of particular note is the “Academy” training programme launched by Carraro S.p.A. Divisione Agritalia in October 2017, which aims to educate and recruit young graduates with specific technical skills in the agricultural vehicle industry.

Worth of mention is also the establishment of a permanent Training Centre at the plant of Carraro India Ltd., aimed at training newly recruited production personnel.

Training by function

Training activities are organised in order to respond to the needs of the workforce according to each department. Most training activities focus on research and development in the technical, engineering, testing, prototypes and plant production sectors, while other training sessions are provided for specialised areas such as administration, tax, customs and IT.

Training on the topics of occupational and environmental health and safety is provided constantly by internal and external training providers.