Gender equity policies and practices: The experience of eight organizations in northeastern Italy

This study examines gender equity and diversity management practices within organizations in the province of Vicenza, addressing a critical gap in Italian DM research, which remains underdeveloped and predominantly focused on gender. Drawing on social constructionism, critical feminism, and Mintzberg's organizational typologies, the research investigates how local cultures, structural configurations, and power dynamics shape the implementation of gender equity initiatives. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study analyzes semi-structured interviews with leaders and HR personnel across eight organizations, complemented by narrative inquiry and qualitative content analysis. Findings reveal a persistent disconnect between formal commitments to equity and the lived realities of organizational processes. Meritocratic discourse often masks entrenched inequality regimes, including gender pay gaps, vertical segregation, limited paternal leave uptake, and welfare policies that reinforce traditional caregiving roles. The study underscores the need for intersectional auditing, redistributive care policies, and participatory narrative practices to foster transformative, context-sensitive gender equity strategies.