Diageo has been ranked as the number one business in the world for gender equality.
Equileap’s 2019 Global Gender Equality Report and Ranking showed the distiller has significantly improved its global positioning from 11th in the 2018 report, and is ranked as the number one business in the UK for gender equality for the second year in a row.
The report is an in-depth, cross-sector analysis of gender equality in 3,519 companies in 23 developed economies, representing 98 million employees.
Equileap ranks businesses based on 19 criteria, including gender balance across the workforce, the gender pay gap, paid parental leave and anti-sexual harassment policies.
Diageo said the ranking shows the progress it has made to champion diversity and inclusion both within the business and beyond.
The report acknowledged the firm on the work it has done to achieve gender balance at the most senior levels.
Currently 44% of Diageo’s Board are women, and the company is working towards a senior leadership team of 40% women by 2025.
Diageo was also complemented on its global parental leave policy, which offers female employees in all markets a minimum of 26 weeks of fully paid maternity leave.
Diageo has also set a global minimum standard of four weeks paternity leave on full rate of pay in all markets, with a significant number of Diageo’s businesses moving to 26 weeks fully paid paternity leave.
This includes in the UK, North America, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Colombia, Venezuela, and Australia among others.
Ivan Menezes, chief executive of Diageo, said: “I am proud of our work to drive an inclusive culture and diverse employee base at Diageo. Our aim is to create a culture that ensures all our people thrive, as well as shaping market-leading policies and practices. “But there is much more to do and we are committed to championing diversity, to make Diageo stronger and to have a positive impact on society.”
Diageo said it is also championing gender equality through its brands and advertising.
Mairéad Nayager, chief HR officer, said: “At Diageo we believe that gender equality is a moral imperative and a driver of business performance.
“We will continue to push ourselves to improve and build on our ambitions.”
