Women are overrepresented in the beauty industry. How then can this ecosystem be more inclusive? L’Oréal Philippines has decided to tackle this issue by getting EDGE Assess certification, bolstering its commitment to gender equality in the workplace.
How does it work? The first level of certification involves a rigorous third-party review of representation across the board, pay equity, the effectiveness of policies and practices and the inclusiveness of an organisation’s culture. As part of the assessment, employees are given a comprehensive survey to assess their perception of career development opportunities in the workplace.
The results are encouraging! Employees’ perception of equal pay for equal work and equal opportunities for both sexes in the organisation’s hiring process has improved for both men and women. L’Oréal Philippines, part of global beauty leader L’Oréal, has traditionally had more women than men in the company, but this is changing.
The company is making a concerted effort to hire men to improve gender representation. Men are now more likely to be hired in three out of five levels of responsibility, whereas they have traditionally been underrepresented in the company.
A strong commitment
Beyond certifications, the organisation systematically encourages men to use paternity leave and has also demonstrated an improved retention rate for women returning from maternity leave. L’Oréal Philippines has also strengthened management’s commitment to gender equality.
“Through improved policies and practices that ensure equitable career flows in the areas of flexible work and organisational culture, increased representation of men and the absence of gender pay equity risks, L’Oréal Philippines has demonstrated a strong commitment in its journey to achieve gender equality in the workplace,” says Aniela Unguresan, founder of the EDGE Certified Foundation.
A multi-year effort
This result is part of L’Oréal Philippines’ long-standing commitment to gender equality in the workplace, having achieved EDGE Assess level certification for the first time in 2015. The organisation has demonstrated an improved framework of policies and practices regarding flexible working and culture to ensure equitable career flows.
Aniela Unguresan says the recertification at the EDGE Assess level recognises L’Oréal Philippines’ ongoing commitment to improving gender equality in the workplace: “It is remarkable to see several L’Oréal entities achieving certifications at different levels,” she explains.
L’Oréal Philippines is one of eight L’Oréal entities currently certified, including Switzerland, Australia, Brazil, India, Canada, Russia (ZAO L’Oréal) and the United States.
