IPM India Targets 40% Representation of Each Gender in Management Roles by 2022

NEW DELHI, India, March 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IPM India Wholesale Trading Private Ltd (IPM India), a country affiliate of Philip Morris International Incorporation (PMI), has announced that it has set an aim to achieve as much as 40% equal gender representation in management roles in the company by 2022. A more focused journey began for IPM India in 2015 with the introduction of target Gender Representation KPIs. The company took a firm decision to take up the gender representation KPI from 18 percent in 2015 to 40 percent by 2022.

IPM India has already achieved 33% female representation in management roles in 2019 and is in a strong position to accomplish its target. PMI and its affiliates across the world are known for their commitment towards reducing the gender gap within the company. Interestingly, women currently hold 36% of all management positions at PMI globally, and the company is further striving to take this figure to 40 per cent by the year 2022.

IPM India has a well-defined action plan to achieve 40% equal gender representation in management roles by 2022. Currently the organisation's Senior Management Team (SMT) is 50% women leaders, across Human Resources, Marketing, External Affairs and Corporate Communications. At the outset, 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.

Being the driving force, Alexander Reisch, Managing Director, IPM India, sharing his perspective, said "Equal contribution of women and men for deep economic and societal transformation is pivotal. And this target, isn't just a number on a paper, we are walking the talk. We have a straight forward philosophy at Philip Morris, which flows right from the top, as it does ground up - it is differences & diversity, more than likenesses & similarities, which will continue to stimulate business innovation in order to remain successful. These are exciting, transformational times for the organisation, and I am looking forward to partner with my colleagues in achieving that magic figure of 40% by 2022."

Adding to this, Hosne Ara Loma, Director, People & Culture, IPM India, said, "We are elated to announce that IPM India is on the right path of making itself a gender-neutral organization with minimum 40% representation of each gender by 2022. All the awards and recognition that we have accomplished so far clearly demonstrate our efforts in the area of inclusion and diversity. What's heartening to know is that the leadership at IPM India believes, it isn't the companies that change industries, but the people. I am delighted to have full support of our leadership and management in enabling us to realise our goals and making IPM India a far more diverse and an inclusive organisation."

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 is the only organization in India to achieve EQUAL SALARY certification in 2018 and 2019. Earlier this year, IPM India successfully obtained the Top Employer 2020 Certification from Top Employers Institute.

Echoing her views, Deepa Mohan, Marketing Director, IPM India said, "PMI has always had a strong commitment to equality, fairness and respect in the workplace. Worldwide and at IPM India, it's one of our strategic priority to  improve gender balance and increasing diversity. Personally too, I am a firm believer of fair share for fair work, and meritocracy above all - these are the values I was brought up with. As a woman leader, I believe it is important we encourage and offer female employees the opportunity and guidance to showcase their talent and harness their full potential. In a male dominated industry it is encouraging see the growing ratio of women leaders. Not to be mistaken with women standing up for themselves is about men vs. women, it's about what is right and deserving. Focusing on gender diversity and inclusion creates a more sustainable business and allows us to derive full value, and is worth investing in. I say this with pride that IPM India is driving this endeavour, with milestones every step of the way." 

While Anushree Lakshminarayanan, Manager External Affairs, IPM India states, "I believe it is essential for any organization to make employees feel valued and empowered, while offering growth opportunities irrespective of  gender, culture or ethnicity - this is important towards creating a level playing field, especially for women and other minority groups in the long term. However, with diversity gaining momentum, there is cynicism that meritocracy might be under threat. It is important that organizations address this early in their diversity journey. IPM India has effectively worked towards breaking pre-conceived notions, changing mindsets/attitudes to embrace inclusion, underscoring meritocracy. It's a matter of time before qualified women make their mark at workplaces, eventually changing the paradigm towards gender-neutral meritocracy."

Piyal Banerjee, Head - External Communications, IPM India, believes, "India is a country of great multiplicity, and hence it is imperative for organizations to work towards encouraging the same at workplaces. As per Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), it has been observed that about 11 million jobs were lost in India in 2018, of which the most affected were women, who lost 8.8 million jobs while men lost 2.2 million. We at IPM India, aim at being catalysts of positive winds of change where women are not only hired but also nurtured as leaders for the future. A woman's inclination toward a holistic, self-reflective approach to their careers - valuing factors such as meaning, purpose, connection with co-workers, encouraging  work-life integration, makes them stand apart and strong. Our goal is to improve the gender balance of our leadership to reflect our 21^st century collective talent and market realities - in creating a more collaborative, empathetic, consumer-centric, higher performing organization."

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 (GPI) and K.K. Modi Investment & Financial Services Private Limited.

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