Enhancing Workplace Safety and Inclusion for Immigrant Women: Evaluating the Impact of the Purple Point Program

Immigrant women working in low-wage service jobs are disproportionately exposed to harassment and violence, both at work and in their daily lives, and often lack access to meaningful support. Traditional state support, such as helplines, shelters, and  police reporting, frequently fails to reach them, because of language barriers, precarious legal status, and limited trust in public institutions. These risks affect not only their safety, but also their mental health, job stability, and sense of belonging at work. This is a particularly acute issue in Italy's hospitality sector, where immigrant women make up a large share of frontline workers. Despite the scale of these issues, there is still little rigorous evidence on whether workplace-based programs can improve safety and well-being for this population.

This project evaluates the Purple Point Program, an initiative developed by the Italian NGO DonneXStrada to turn businesses into recognized safe spaces. Participating workplaces receive a two-hour training, delivered by lawyers and psychologists, that covers the main forms of gender-based violence, how to identify warning signs, and how to connect individuals with relevant support services such as helplines and anti-violence centers. The approach is practical and non-accusatory, aiming to build awareness and allyship within the workplace. Businesses that complete the program receive a Purple Point certification and a QR code linking to information and resources, are reassessed over time, and retain ongoing access to professional support. The program is already operating at scale across Italy; over 850 businesses have been certified, and the Purple Points Map has been viewed by more than a million people, but its effects on workers and on the women it aims to protect have not been rigorously measured.

Here is the map (Purple Points Map).

We will study the impact of the program through a randomized controlled trial involving 208 restaurants in Italy. These restaurants are an especially relevant setting because they employ an unusually high share of women and migrant workers in customer-facing roles. The evaluation is straightforward: some restaurants are randomly selected to receive the Purple Point training, while others serve as a comparison group and receive the program later. Because assignment is random, the study can provide credible evidence on whether the program itself improves outcomes.

The study will measure whether the program improves outcomes in four main areas. First, it will examine job outcomes, including turnover, absenteeism, and productivity. Second, it will study violence-related outcomes, such as workers' ability to recognize violence, awareness of available resources, reporting behavior, and experiences of harassment. Third, it will measure worker well-being, including anxiety, mental health, and job satisfaction. Fourth, it will assess workplace climate, including perceptions of inclusivity and safety at work and attitudes toward colleagues from diverse backgrounds. These outcomes will be measured using a combination of worker surveys and administrative data.

This project matters for two reasons. First, it addresses an important evidence gap: we know very little about how to design effective workplace interventions that support immigrant women facing heightened vulnerability. Second, it tests a model that could be scaled. Many workers at risk of violence may never come into direct contact with formal support services, but they do interact with workplaces every day. If a relatively light-touch training and certification program can improve knowledge, well-being, and workplace culture, it could offer a practical way to reduce exclusion and strengthen support for vulnerable women.

 Overall, the project asks a simple but important question: can safer and more informed workplaces improve both worker well-being and social inclusion? By generating rigorous evidence on a real-world intervention, the study will help inform employers, NGOs, and policymakers interested in reducing gender-based violence and improving conditions for immigrant women in the labor market.

This project has been made possible with Community Jameel’s foundational support for J-PAL’s European Social Inclusion Initiative.