 Index. It also ranked 14th globally.){kind=link}
Woolworths Group is Australia’s top company according to Thomson Reuters’ 2018 Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Index.
It also ranked 14th globally, the index found.
The D&I Index ranks the top 100 publicly traded companies out of more than 7,000 around the world. It measures 24 metrics across four key categories: diversity, inclusion, people development and news controversies.
Thomson Reuters calculates the index by weighing each metric based on its importance in the market. It also compares each company with its peers.
Woolworths Group Chief People Officer Caryn Katsikogianis said, “We’re proud to be ranked in the global top 20 of the Thomson Reuters Diversity and Inclusion Index.
“It’s welcome recognition of our efforts and progress in creating an inclusive culture across all of our businesses.
“As a group, we embrace the value diversity brings to our organisation. We seek to provide an inclusive work environment that gives all our team members a sense of purpose and belonging.
“We want our customers to experience a welcoming and genuine team when they shop with us. Our diverse team is key to delivering this.”
A range of initiatives
The Woolworths Group says it has been focusing on a range of diversity and inclusion initiatives. These include refugee programs, LGBTI inclusion, gender pay parity and indigenous employment.
Earlier this year, Woolworths was the first retail organisation to achieve ‘Gold Tier’ status in the Australian Workplace Equality Index Awards. This was because of its commitment to LGBTI inclusion.
The retailer also runs a Refugee Employment program in partnership with Community Corporate. The aim is to provide employment opportunities for refugees from Syria and elsewhere in the region.
Caryn Katsikogianis said, “This (D&I) recognition is a testament to our 200,000 team members across Australia and New Zealand who make the Woolworths Group such a great place to work.
“As a customer-led business, we know it’s critical that our teams reflect the communities we serve.
“While we’ve made progress, we know there’s more we can do. We’ll continue working hard to build an even more diverse and inclusive workplace.”