Like most of you, the EcoVadis family was deeply disturbed by the recent murder of George Floyd in the U.S., which is just one example of many instances of injustice in our world. We have been watching the ensuing international protests and calls for action with empathy and solidarity. We stand with #BlackLivesMatter.
We have taken the time to reflect on what this expression of solidarity means for EcoVadis. This topic is deeply connected to our core business and values - our very purpose is to improve society and protect our planet by driving positive change into supply chains around the world.
We are a company rooted in the ideals of diversity and equality, with an extremely diverse set of employees all over Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Oceania, and with customers spanning over 160 countries. Promoting diversity and inclusion and fighting against discrimination has always been one of the core values of EcoVadis, and we are proud of the inclusive workplace environment we have created. We truly believe in diversity as a competitive asset for nurturing a great place to work, helping achieve our ambitious goals and contributing to a better society - and we aspire to a world where everyone, whatever their race, nationality, religion, gender, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation, is treated fairly and is given equal opportunities.
But of course there is always more that we can do to proactively support diversity and inclusion both within our company and in our solution offerings.
Within our company:
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We strive to have the most diverse pool of applicants but also realize that for disadvantaged communities it’s not easy. We are not doing enough to promote “Equal Opportunities'' (whether they are based on race, ethnicity, disadvantaged communities, or individual disabilities). Our HR team will be adjusting our training and hiring process to address this, taking into account local specificities.
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We can also improve the diversity of our leadership and governance bodies. We will actively seek diverse candidates for critical groups such as our Scientific and Advisory Committees.
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Within our events, we have promoted gender diversity among our presenters and panelists, and have achieved good progress. We will also push for featured speakers at our events to be more inclusive of minorities moving forward.
Our business impact:
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Through our sustainability / corporate social responsibility ratings we have enabled over 65,000 businesses around the world to create higher standards, by avoiding human rights abuses and implementing more progressive social and labor policies, including strong anti-discrimination practices and diversity goals. And because we track progress for companies that are re-assessed over time, we know that many take action and improve. We are proud of this contribution, which is in line with our corporate vision and values.
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The elements of our ratings methodology that address anti-discrimination and diversity are based on global standards and benchmarks; however we will look to raise the bar on these criteria, pushing companies being rated to do more in promoting disadvantaged populations.
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We are also in progress on delivering a Diversity KPI bundle (expected in Summer 2020) that will provide an additional lens on EcoVadis-rated companies, fostering targeted dialogue and collaboration between buyers and suppliers on this critical topic.
These initiatives are only the start. We will continue to evaluate our opportunity to affect change alongside our powerful community of customers and the EcoVadis ecosystem.
Our success as a company relies on our differences. Our unity relies on our commitment to our EcoVadis values and the sense of purpose we all share. We believe that together we can contribute to creating a better world, free of racism and discrimination.
- Pierre-Francois Thaler and Frederic Trinel, Co-CEOs
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