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Philip Morris committed to equal pay for men and women

Source: iStock
Source: iStock

Philip Morris South Africa, today announced that it has successfully obtained the EQUAL-SALARY certification from independent, not-for-profit, EQUL-SALARY Foundation. As the company transforms to become a smoke-free technology leader in this rapidly-changing 21st century, it recognizes that diverse teams and an inclusive culture are needed to drive innovation and to be successful. PMI and its affiliates worldwide are focused on this aspect of the transformation and committed to tackling their gender gap first, emphasizing the role this plays as an enabler for PMI’s vision of a smoke-free world.

The reality in South Africa today is that women are not only underrepresented in the workplace across various industries, but they continue to be significantly underpaid as well. According to a 2018 Global Wage Gap Report published by the International Labour Organization women in SA earn on average 28% less than men. At Philip Morris we believe that our success as a company depends on a talented and diverse workforce – where individuals enjoy equal opportunities to learn, grow and prosper in their career. This means providing fair and equal remuneration for men and women for equivalent work, our values and principles call for nothing less. For our employees, the achievement of being the first EQUAL-SALARY certified company in South Africa makes us an employer of choice committed to equality and to fostering an inclusive and dynamic workforce." said Daniela Ilie, Director People & Culture, Philip Morris South Africa.

The EQUAL-SALARY certification validates that Philip Morris South Africa pays men and women equally for equivalent work, and the process is helping to focus company attention on the broader issue of gender equality. Alongside the quantitative comparison of salary data, the EQUAL-SALARY certification methodology involves a qualitative audit of management commitment to equal pay principles, of employee perception of that commitment and of HR policies and practices to identify any potential gender-blind spots and recommends actions to mitigate them. The certification further helps identify areas for improvement and supports efforts to address the broader challenge of closing any gender talent gaps. This includes introducing flexible working arrangements and addressing gender bias across the employee journey.

Commenting on the certification, Véronique Goy Veenhuys, Founder & CEO, EQUAL-SALARY Foundation, said, “Philip Morris South Africa can be proud of its EQUAL-SALARY Certification, making them the frontrunner of the rigorous, independent EQUAL-SALARY methodology in South Africa. While today, we still cannot take equal pay for equivalent work for granted, the commitment of companies like Philip Morris International is a welcome step forward on the journey toward achieving global wage parity, and contributes to the broader challenge of closing the gender pay gap.”

Philip Morris South Africa’s EQUAL-SALARY certification is part of PMI’s larger goal of becoming a truly gender balanced, inclusive workplace. The multi-national is already tracking and publishing progress on the gender balance of its management team. Today, women hold 35% of all management roles at PMI, and the company is on track to meet its goal of 40% by 2022.

For more information on PMI’s Inclusion & Diversity efforts as part of its wider sustainability work, visit: https://www.pmi.com/sustainability/sustainability-report

For more information about EQUAL-SALARY Foundation, click here.

This post was sponsored and provided by Philip Morris International.

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