Wages, benefit companies pay more

The number of benefit companies in Italia is growing. In the last year, with Lombardy in first place, there has been a 20% increase over the previous year and, for large companies, an incidence of 2.2% of the total. Outlining this scenario, which concerns 5,540 companies that have chosen this path, is the National Research on Benefit Companies 2026, carried out by Nativa, the Research Department of Intesa Sanpaolo, InfoCamere, the University of Padua, the Brindisi-Taranto Chamber of Commerce and Assobenefit.

"The analysis of performance in the period 2022-2024 shows a better dynamic of benefit companies compared to traditional companies (comparable by size and macro sector)," the report says, "as well as a more significant economic and social impact. Turnover is expected to grow by 14.6% "compared to 5.3% for non-benefit companies (in median terms)". Added value is also on the rise, with benefit companies increasing by 19.7%, compared to 12.6% for traditional companies.

Then there is the employment aspect. Here too, the increase is favourable for benefits companies, which employed 241,000 people in 2025, an increase of over 11% compared to 217,000 the previous year. "On the economic side," the study continues, "benefit companies generated €69 billion in production value in fiscal year 2024, up from €62 billion in the previous year and accounting for 2.5% of the total value generated by all registered companies.

Labour costs are also on the rise, increasing by 21.6% compared to 11.2% for non-benefit companies. "In 2024, moreover, the salary per employee in benefit companies is approximately EUR 3,000 higher than that of comparable non-benefit companies (always in median terms) - the study emphasises -. Data that highlight a greater redistribution of value towards people and their families, in an economic context characterised by strong inflationary pressures and erosion of purchasing power". The gross operating margin also grows and exceeds that of non-benefit companies, in fact the comparison shows 16.2% in the first case against 10.5% in the second.

Another characteristic element concerns the participation of women on the boards and also of young people within companies. As for the areas, the sectors where most benefit companies are registered are professional activities, where 1,510 companies are registered, followed by the telecommunications sector with 866 and manufacturing with 633. "The administrative activities sector," continues the report, "stands out, on the other hand, in the distribution of employees, concentrating the largest number of workers in benefit companies: 72.6 thousand employees, equal to 41.76 per thousand of the total for the sector.