Diageo has been named as the top company for gender equality in Equileap's annual Global Gender Equality Report and Ranking.
The Equileap report is an in-depth, cross-sector analysis of gender equality in 3,519 companies in 23 developed economies, representing 98 million employees.
Equileap, a nonprofit that researches companies on gender equality and provides data for gender lens investing, evaluated companies on criteria including gender balance across the workforce, the gender pay gap, paid parental leave and anti-sexual harassment policies. “It is Equileap’s mission to accelerate gender equality in the workplace as a powerful and under-used way of tackling poverty and inequality. Diageo are setting an example and we commend the team for their ambitious work to champion inclusion and diversity," says Equileap CEO Diana Van Maasdijk.
Diageo creates a culture for people to thrive
Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes reinforces his commitment to leading a diverse and inclusive workforce in a video, alongside further corporate leaders, taking a stand for gender equality. In the video produced by Equileap, the CEO reinforces his views regarding Diageo's impressive accolade and the steps the company is taking towards a more equal workforce.
“I am proud of our work to drive an inclusive culture and diverse employee base at Diageo. Our aim is to create a culture that ensures all our people thrive, as well as shaping market-leading policies and practices. But there is much more to do and we are committed to championing diversity, to make Diageo stronger and to have a positive impact on society," says Ivan Menezes.
Further Diageo leaders commented on the company's impressive recognition, including Diageo Chief HR Officer Mairéad Nayager.
“At Diageo we believe that gender equality is a moral imperative and a driver of business performance," says Mairéad. "We are increasing the number of women in leadership roles across the company and have introduced new progressive family leave policies to support all our people throughout their careers. We will continue to push ourselves to improve and build on our ambitions.”
Diageo's progress in diversity and inclusion
The ranking highlights the progress Diageo has made to champion diversity and inclusion both within the business and beyond. Acknowledgements in the report include the work Diageo has done to achieve gender balance at the most senior levels of the organisation. Currently 44% of Diageo’s Board are women, and the company is working towards a senior leadership team of 40% women by 2025.
The report also celebrated Diageo’s global parental leave policy which offers female employees in all markets a minimum of 26 weeks of fully paid maternity leave. Diageo has also set a global minimum standard of four weeks paternity leave on full rate of pay in all markets, with a significant number of Diageo’s businesses moving to 26 weeks fully paid paternity leave including the UK, North America, Thailand, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Colombia, Venezuela, and Australia amongst others.
It also applauded Diageo’s signatory of the United Nations’ Women’s Empowerment Principles, committing to seven values-led approaches to support women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
Diageo is also championing gender equality through its brands and advertising. The company has rolled out a framework for progressive gender portrayal in advertising to its 1,200 marketers and advertising agencies around the world. Diageo is a member of the United Nations Unstereotype Alliance, and the business has signed up to Free the Bid to increase the number of female directors on its adverts as well as working with Creative Equals to support women returning to the creative industries after a career break.
In 2019 Diageo has also been recognised as the second most diverse and inclusive workplace in the Refinitiv Diversity & Inclusion Index (previously the Thomson Reuters Diversity & Inclusion Index), and is listed on the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index.
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Diageo is leading the way for a more diverse and gender equal workplace with its wide range of campaigns, initiatives and pledges.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.