Nestlé today laid out an action plan to increase the number of women in senior executive positions globally. This underscores Nestlé’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for everyone at the company.

Nestlé has made progress in recent years increasing the number of women in managerial positions. Today, 43% of these roles are held by women. With its Gender Balance Acceleration Plan, Nestlé will now put further emphasis on increasing the proportion of women in the group’s top 200 senior executive positions from around 20% currently to 30% by 2022. This is another step in Nestlé’s journey towards gender parity.

Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO, said: “It is simply the right thing to do. We believe that a more diverse workforce with more women at the top will reinforce our inclusive culture and make Nestlé an even better company. We are setting measurable goals to hold ourselves accountable. We know that improving gender balance will lead to better decisions, stronger innovation and higher employee satisfaction.”

Nestlé has embedded gender balance in all its Human Resources practices. The company was recently included in the 2019 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI). Nestlé is now building on this momentum and setting new goals to drive further action.

The Gender Balance Acceleration Plan includes the following specific actions:

  • Supporting all managers to foster an inclusive workplace and ensuring that they are trained on unconscious bias;
  • Encouraging the use of Nestlé’s paid parental leave program and flexible work policies in place in all Nestlé operating companies;
  • Enhancing mentoring and sponsorship programs to prepare high-potential women for senior executive positions;
  • Hiring and promoting more women in senior executive positions;
  • Reviewing results with senior leaders to promote gender balance and ensure progress;
  • Continuing our efforts to champion equal pay and eliminate conditions that create gender pay gaps;
  • Reporting progress in Nestlé’s annual Creating Shared Value report.

“The Nestlé Gender Balance Acceleration Plan strengthens our existing commitment to enhance gender balance in our workforce. We are confident that everyone, men and women, will play a key role in advancing gender equality and creating a better place to work,” said Béatrice Guillaume-Grabisch, Executive Vice President, Head of Group Human Resources and Business Services.

Gender balance is a key component of Nestlé’s approach to diversity and inclusion. This is an integral part of the company’s culture and is one of the ways Nestlé brings its purpose and values to life.