The Inclusive Edge

IFF Strengthens Commitment to Gender Parity, Adopts UN Women’s Empowerment Principles and Pledges to Achieve EDGE Certification Globally
gender equality
Gender Equality

November 7th, 2019 New York (USA): IFF (NYSE:IFF) (Euronext Paris:IFF) (TASE:IFF), a leading innovator of taste, scent, and nutrition, solidified its commitment to gender parity and women’s empowerment by emboldening internal practices and working with global partners to complement ongoing efforts to increase equality within its world-wide footprint.

The Company has pledged to adopt the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (“the Principles”), a set of seven tenets to advance and empower women and provide equal treatment in the workplace, marketplace and community. A collaboration between the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and the United Nations Global Compact, the Principles offer guidance for companies to affect change in the way they do business.

Having recently earned certification from the Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) for its business in the United States, IFF has committed to using the EDGE methodology to globally guide and support its journey to full gender equality in the workplace. To advance this commitment IFF will undergo a process to achieve a full global EDGE certification in 2020. EDGE provides a third-party evaluation that assesses gender balance, equal pay, effectiveness of policies and practices and the inclusiveness of organizational culture.

“From the communities where we do business to the executive offices, IFF is working to ensure full gender parity in our enterprise practices,” said IFF CEO and Chairman Andreas Fibig. “Internally and externally, we understand that economic and social equality is integral to our goal to do better for people and planet. Our commitment to create a level playing field for our employees and for those within our footprint is aligned with the IFF purpose to redefine how we live in and care for the resources of our world.”

“Our diverse and expansive corporate community is uncompromising when it comes to ethically and inclusively making a difference in this world. We are excited about our progress but impassioned about what our future holds.”

With 38% of its global workforce composed of female employees and a 2% pay gap in favor of women in the U.S., the Company is consistently advancing on its commitment to provide greater opportunities for inclusion through dedicated actions that promote equality and parity with employees as well as through community outreaches in conjunction with partners and peers. The Company has:

  • Formalized and launched the employee-powered diversity & inclusion vision and mission
  • Established Women@IFF employee resource groups starting in 2014, dedicated to promoting education, training and professional development in support of women, at local sites throughout the regions; IFF EVP and General Counsel Anne Chwat is the executive sponsor of the program
  • Partnered with other global organizations to execute Vetiver Together, a pilot program assisting 450 small-scale vetiver farmers in Haiti to increase food security and income diversification while supporting women’s empowerment efforts and environmental conservation
  • Sponsored three READ India centers specifically designed to empower women and girls by providing educational and skill development programs in rural areas.

“This new era of IFF calls for us to challenge the expected and create what’s next together,” continued Mr. Fibig. “Our diverse and expansive corporate community is uncompromising when it comes to ethically and inclusively making a difference in this world. We are excited about our progress but impassioned about what our future holds.”

(BUSINESS WIRE)

Image by Pettycon from Pixabay

 

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