SAP leads MNC tech industry to receive Global Gender Equality Certification

SAP announced that it is the first MNC technology company to be awarded the worldwide Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) certificate, recognizing its global commitments in achieving gender diversity and equality in the workplace.

The EDGE Certification is the premier standard and methodology for evaluating a corporate commitment to gender equality.

SAP’s worldwide certification process began in March 2016 — after it became the first tech company in the United States to achieve EDGE Certification earlier this year. Global certification, which requires that countries that comprise 80 per cent of an organization be included, was awarded after a third-party review of company data, gender practices and employment policies, and employee survey results in an additional 12 countries - Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Criteria examined in the review include recruitment and promotion, leadership development training, mentoring, flexible working and company culture.

Bill McDermott, CEO, SAP said, “This global certification marks a major milestone in our ongoing efforts to eliminate bias in the workplace. We are very proud of our investments in technologies and programs to drive inclusion. This certification is another step in our leadership on this critical issue, all geared toward helping the world run better and improving people’s lives.”

SAP has a board-level commitment to reach 25 per cent of its leadership positions filled by women by the end of 2017. This commitment has been reinforced by action. As of Q2 2016, women make up 24.1 percent of the company’s leadership and 32.5 per cent of all employees.

“Gender equality is not a corporate social responsibility initiative or simply a cultural benefit. It’s a strategic differentiator, a source of innovation and revenue driver for our company. We want to be the role model in the technology industry for providing opportunities for women, as well as for all underrepresented groups," said Stefan Ries, chief human resources officer, SAP.

Aniela Unguresan, co-founder, EDGE Certified Foundation said, “Through this global EDGE Certification, SAP continues to set the standard for gender equality in technology. We applaud their efforts to promote a workforce that facilitates a culture of diversity, inclusion and equality.”