On a Journey towards economic awareness

Financial education and gender equality: Plenitude’s initiative against economic violence.

Economic awareness is one of the pillars of individual empowerment. Understanding the basics of finance, knowing how to manage personal resources, and planning for one’s financial future are not just practical skills, but powerful tools for empowerment. However, a significant gender gap persists in this area. Many women still face wage disparities, fewer investment opportunities, and a higher incidence of economic violence, a subtle form of abuse that restricts access to resources, controls spending, and undermines decision-making autonomy.

The data from Ipsos are striking: 49% of women in Italy have experienced economic violence, a figure that rises to 67% among those who are separated or divorced. 15% must justify every expense to their partner, and 14% have had financial decisions made without being consulted. This scenario highlights the need for targeted efforts to bridge the gap.

In this context, Plenitude, in collaboration with Rame — a company committed to making financial well-being accessible to all — has created an internal program to promote financial education with a particular focus on gender dynamics. This initiative is part of Plenitude’s broader Diversity & Inclusion strategy. The goal is twofold: to increase awareness among its people and to provide them with practical tools for more conscious financial management aimed at achieving their personal goals.

The keys to financial awareness

To explore the concept of financial awareness and the steps to achieve it, we interviewed Annalisa Monfreda, co-founder of Rame.

- What does financial awareness mean and how does it affect our relationship with money?
«Financial awareness is built on two key components: knowledge and behaviour. Knowledge refers to understanding basic financial concepts, like knowing what an interest rate is or how a mortgage works. In Italy, we face a structural gap in this area, as these topics are rarely covered in school or at home. However, awareness goes beyond knowledge. Behaviour plays a crucial role, it means having a method and developing sound financial habits. While saving used to be enough, today, financially aware behaviour includes broader actions: planning for supplementary pensions from a young age, understanding insurance needs, and setting up an adequate emergency fund».

- What are the consequences of poor financial awareness?
«A lack of financial awareness can trigger a range of consequences from financial anxiety, which is becoming increasingly common (U.S. data shows that 72% of people experience mental health issues due to money worries), to more severe forms of poverty. For example, in Italy, 30% of savings sit idly in bank accounts, losing value, and on average, each Italian loses €2,000 a year due to financial illiteracy. Lack of knowledge and protective strategies leaves individuals vulnerable to abuse and financial dependence».

- What are the most common examples of the financial gender gap and how can they be overcome?
«Financial awareness can be a useful tool during salary negotiations. Another key issue is the pension gap: women earn, on average, 44% less in retirement than men. This is partly due to wage inequality, but also to career interruptions for motherhood or caregiving. Financial awareness helps women make more informed decisions and negotiate fairer arrangements within couples. Other gaps affect women too, such as higher healthcare costs and societal pressure related to appearance, these are shaped by cultural norms and require broader structural changes, though awareness is a crucial first step».

- How does the cultural gender gap affect financial management within families?
«Many of us grew up in households where men handled the finances, while women took care of daily spending. Not due to lack of ability, in fact women often manage day-to-day finances with great care, but because of power dynamics. This traditional split persists today: men typically handle bills and bank accounts, which, though appearing to ease the mental load, actually excludes women from major financial decisions».

- How does a financial awareness project develop?
«For me, it started with a personal realization: despite working for years in women’s empowerment, I was financially illiterate. Sharing this frustration with my co-founder led us to create something to fill this gap and help women — and others — gain financial freedom and independence. We started as a media company, launching a podcast that quickly gained traction. Financial information is asymmetric, mostly male-driven, and — as we learned from our financial psychologists — men and women approach finances differently: for men, it’s about wealth-building, while for women, it’s about achieving goals. This convinced us we had to go beyond information and provide real tools for change, like our financial coaching APP».

A path toward active awareness: Plenitude’s commitment

«Plenitude designed a dedicated program, “A Journey Towards Economic Awareness”, to raise awareness and provide practical tools» explains Cristina Chiorazzi. The initiative included multiple stages: it began with a kickoff event featuring Francesca Cavallo — author of the bestseller “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls” and her autobiography “I Have a Fire in My Drawer” — and Edoardo Lozza, professor of Economic Psychology at Università Cattolica of Milan. Two follow-up webinars were hosted by Paola Iannello, Monica Vitali and Ginevra Zucconi, focusing on financial goal setting and investment strategies. The journey concluded near March 8th — International Women’s Day — with a global event titled "Financial Freedom: A Tool for Women’s Empowerment". The event featured stories from Plenitude colleagues and included a keynote from renowned economist and writer Ginevra Bersani Franceschetti who emphasized once more the vital role of financial autonomy for women.

The initiative engaged people across all Plenitude offices, in Italy and abroad, also through the sharing of practical resources for conscious financial planning and setting medium- and long-term financial goals.

Plenitude’s commitment to this initiative is part of a broader vision that integrates economic, human and social dimensions. As a Benefit Corporation, Plenitude pays special attention to the well-being of individuals, recognizing financial awareness as a key driver of autonomy and dignity.