Kering looks toward further progress in gender equality with certification

Fashion group Kering is being recognized for its corporate gender equality initiatives with Equality European & International Standard certification.

Kering achieved the Arborus Fund’s GEEIS label for its efforts to make women and men equal in the workplace. In addition to acknowledging Kering’s existing commitment toward gender parity, the certification is designed to help shape the group-wide efforts to promote equality.

Equality at work
The GEEIS label is the brainchild of socially-minded brands within Arborus Fund, including L'Oreal, who wanted the means to measure their gender equality initiatives. Designed with Bureau Veritas Certification, it originated in 2010 in Europe and then expanded to other parts of the world in 2014.

Outside of the regulations that exist in each country, the certification is designed to provide a global standard of practices regarding pay, promotion, development and diversity.

GEEIS certification is determined by a company’s management tools, human resources and managerial practices and the impact of policies. The label is good for four years, with an audit halfway through to gauge the company's progress.

Kering has established a human resources policy that looks to position the company as a benchmark employer of women. Today, women represent 31 percent of Kering’s executive committee and 64 percent of its board of directors.

The group also supports women through its corporate Kering Foundation and its Women in Motion film program.

Bottega Veneta spring/summer 2015 campaign

Earlier this year, Kering Group commemorated International Women’s Day through its “We Are Women” campaign and by lending support to the United Nations.

The campaign support was part of Kering’s three-year partnership with the UN Women French National Committee, in which the conglomerate provides financial support and actively participates in the organization of its global efforts. Throughout the year Kering vocally promotes women’s issues with the help of its stable of brands, and it is this ongoing dedication to these causes that reads as authentic among consumers (see story).

“Furthering equality between men and women is a top priority for Kering,” said Béatrice Lazat, SVP of Human Resources at Kering. “This GEEIS certification shows us our efforts have paid off and been recognized.

“Beyond the label itself, which we are so delighted to hold, GEEIS enables us to identify areas in which we can continue to make progress.”