IPM India inches closer to its target of 40% representation of each gender in management roles by 2022

NEW DELHI, March 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Ltd (IPM India), a country affiliate of Philip Morris International, Inc. (PMI), has announced that they have reached 33% representation of women in workforce by 2020, closing towards their target of 40% by 2022. The introduction of target Gender Representation KPIs has resulted in 27% of management positions occupied by women. This change was more evident at the leadership level in the organization with 44% of positions held by women leaders.

Gender diversity KPIs have been part of the organizational objectives since 2017. These KPIs are shared transparently with all employees. IPM India is further focused on grooming and nurturing talent from an early career stage. Preparation for their career journey through cross-functional movements, international assignments, and progression to managerial positions, all equip the work force to become high impact leaders.

Sharing his perspective, Alexander Reisch, Managing Director, IPM India, said, "I take great pride in informing you that PMI has been named in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for our focus on advancing gender equity. This recognition underscores PMI's work towards gender equity at the workplace and to ensure equal opportunities for all employees. We count on inclusion to an important role to play in making PMI a more inclusive and diverse employer. From striving to improve our gender balance at all levels to maintaining our global leadership on equal pay, our efforts are not only an essential part of being a responsible corporate citizen and contributing to our shared global sustainability goals but also crucial to our progress toward delivering a smoke-free future. IPM India has a well-defined action plan to achieve 40% equal gender representation in management roles by 2022. Currently, women comprise of 44% of the Management Team in India."

In September 2018, IPM India received EQUAL-SALARY Certification. In fact, this was the first time the company applied for the audit where it was discovered and established that IPM India has 100 percent gender pay parity. IPM India was the only organization in India to achieve EQUAL SALARY certification in 2018 and 2019, followed by the Top Employer Certification in 2019-20 from Top Employers Institute. IPM India also received Great Places to Work for certification in 2020.

Adding to this, Hosne Ara Loma, Director, People & Culture, IPM India, said, "Achieving gender balance at all levels of the company is one of our top priorities. Our focus is firmly on leveraging the full talent potential across women and men. Currently, women make up 33 percent of our workforce. Just over 27 percent of our management positions are held by women. Our goal is to increase that figure to at least 40 percent by 2022. We aim to recruit equal numbers of men and women at all levels. To support this, our job advertisements use gender-neutral language, we push for gender-balanced shortlists, and we use diverse interview panels to reduce the risk of unconscious bias in talent assessments. Furthermore, we focus on supporting the growth and advancement of all employees through personalized development plans and access to learning opportunities, contributing to more gender-balanced leadership over time. We also empower our female talent by creating opportunities to network and build mentoring relationships with peers and role models".

About IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Limited

IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Limited is a joint venture between Philip Morris Brands Sarl of Switzerland and two Indian entities, Godfrey Phillips India Limited and K.K. Modi Investment & Financial Services Private Limited.

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