Italy's state railway operator, Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), has reached a watershed moment in its leadership transformation: 50% of new managerial appointments in 2026 have gone to women, positioning the company ahead of most European rail competitors and signaling a tangible shift in how Italy's largest transport infrastructure firm builds its executive ranks.
This milestone reflects more than symbolic progress. For the roughly 83,000 employees working across FS's network—and the millions of Italians who depend on its trains, stations, and freight services—the composition of leadership influences everything from operational priorities to workplace culture and long-term investment strategy.
Why This Matters
• Leadership parity arrived faster than expected: FS jumped from 26% female appointments in January 2025 to 50% in 2026, outpacing the European rail sector's 2030 target of 30% women in management.
• Certification backs the numbers: FS earned the UNI/PdR 125:2022 Gender Equality Certification in November 2025, a formal validation of structural changes across pay equity, career advancement, and work-life balance.
• Benchmark for public companies: With 34% of Italian senior management roles held by women overall, FS's 50% appointment rate sets a new standard for state-controlled enterprises.
The Numbers Behind the Shift
When Stefano Antonio Donnarumma, the CEO and Director General of Gruppo FS, addressed newly appointed executives at a recent ceremony, he framed the shift plainly: "Recognizing female talent in leadership roles is not secondary. It is a managerial and cultural choice that defines the quality of our leadership and our ability to reward merit."
The trajectory is steep. In 2020, FS set an initial goal of 20% women in managerial positions, starting from just 11%. By 2025, that figure had climbed to 33%. The company now aims for 36.4% female representation among directors and senior managers by 2031—a target that exceeds the European rail industry's collective ambition of 30% by 2030.
The latest round of appointments is particularly striking: half of all new managerial roles went to women this year, up from 42% in the second session of 2025 and 26% at the start of that year. This acceleration suggests that FS has moved beyond token gestures and embedded gender balance into its talent pipeline.
What This Means for Employees and Operations
For FS staff, the practical implications extend into daily work life. The Gender Equality Certification that FS received evaluates six operational domains: corporate culture and strategy, governance structure, human resources processes, career growth opportunities, pay equity, and support for parenthood and work-life balance.
Employees in technical and engineering roles—historically male-dominated—are seeing targeted initiatives to recruit and promote women in STEM disciplines. FS has committed to dismantling gender stereotypes in fields like signaling systems, rolling stock engineering, and infrastructure design, where women remain underrepresented across Europe.
The company's adherence to the United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs) since March 2020 has translated into formal policies: equal access to training programs, transparent promotion criteria, gender-appropriate safety equipment, and confidential reporting mechanisms for harassment. According to European benchmarks, 93% of rail companies now offer work-life balance measures, 82% provide properly fitted protective gear for all genders, and 89% maintain confidential complaint channels.
How FS Compares Across Europe
The European rail sector as a whole employs women at a rate of approximately 23%, up from 21% in 2018, with new hires reaching 25% female. Leadership roles lag further behind: the Women in Rail Report 2025 found that the share of women among top executives at European rail firms ranges from 0% to 50%, with most clustering at the lower end.
Against this backdrop, FS's performance is notable. While many European operators are still working toward the industry-wide 2030 targets, Italy's state railway has already surpassed the 30% management threshold and is pushing toward 36.4% by decade's end.
No other major European rail operator has publicly reported achieving gender parity in new managerial appointments in 2026. The Women in Rail Awards recognize progress, but sector-wide data reveals that most companies remain far from balanced leadership.
In Italy's broader public sector, the Women in Business 2026 report by Grant Thornton indicates that 34% of senior management roles are held by women, slightly down from 34.8% in 2025. Globally, the public sector is the closest to parity at 48.5%, but Italy's national average still trails behind.
Impact on Passengers and Investors
Leadership diversity is not purely an internal matter. FS operates the backbone of Italy's passenger and freight rail network, managing train schedules, station services, and infrastructure maintenance that directly affect millions of daily commuters. The company's ability to attract and retain top talent—regardless of gender—has tangible effects on service reliability, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
From an investor and governance perspective, the Gender Equality Certification and the measurable progress toward 2031 targets signal institutional maturity. Pension funds, sovereign wealth vehicles, and ESG-focused investors increasingly scrutinize diversity metrics as indicators of governance quality and long-term resilience.
For expatriates and international professionals living in Italy, FS's leadership transformation may also influence the broader labor market. As one of the country's largest employers, its HR practices often set informal benchmarks for other public and private enterprises.
The Road Ahead
Donnarumma has emphasized that FS's transformation hinges on more than infrastructure spending and digital upgrades. "Transformation passes through investments, infrastructure, innovation, and technology, but above all through people and the ability to build inclusive leadership capable of guiding change and facing future challenges," he stated.
The company's Gender Equality Plan (GEP) outlines ongoing initiatives: development and selection processes designed to surface talent equitably, mentorship programs pairing emerging female leaders with senior executives, and organizational policies that treat diversity as a strategic lever rather than a compliance checkbox.
FS's commitment to parenting support and flexible work arrangements is particularly relevant in Italy, where traditional caregiving expectations have historically limited women's career trajectories. The ability to balance family responsibilities with professional advancement remains a practical concern for many employees, and FS's policies in this area will be tested as the company scales its diversity targets.
The rail operator's progress also reflects broader demographic and labor market trends. Italy faces an aging workforce and persistent skills shortages in technical fields. Expanding the talent pool by removing gender barriers is not just equitable—it is economically necessary.
Whether FS can maintain its 50% appointment rate in future hiring rounds remains to be seen. The 2026 figure represents a snapshot of new appointments, not the overall management composition, which stood at 33% female in 2025. Sustaining momentum will require continued pipeline development, retention strategies, and cultural reinforcement at every organizational level.
For now, FS has set a clear marker. In a sector traditionally dominated by men, Italy's state railway has demonstrated that structural change is achievable—and measurable. The real test will be whether these numbers translate into lasting shifts in decision-making, innovation, and service delivery across one of Europe's most critical transport networks.
