Procter & Gamble to sharpen focus on gender equality

Leading global consumer products company Procter & Gamble today said it will expand its supplier base and sourcing from women in its move to support gender equality globally.
"P&G will expand its supplier development and sourcing from women-owned business in our supply chains across the world, including the Indian subcontinent, Middle East and Africa," the company said in a statement.
As part of that P&G will "continue to reveal gender bias and spark conversations" through its brand advertising campaigns and would "encourage the wider advertising industry to do the same," the company said.
P&G will also extend programmes to keep girls in school in India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania, it added.

"P&G has been championing the cause of gender equality both inside and outside of P&G, leveraging the strengths of our business and operations, our scale and our advertising voice to address gender bias and enable education for girls and women's economic empowerment," said IMEA President for P&G Mohamed Samir.
P&G's commitment to gender equality is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls globally, it added.

"P&G, working with our NGO partners on the ground, will empower women & girls impacted by the Syrian refugee crisis to realise their potential," the company said.

In India, the FMCG major hires 50 per cent women into entry level management roles and they get promoted into next assignments at the same progression as men.
"Gender Equality is a priority focus area of P&G's Citizenship activities. P&G has been steadily working to improve gender equality by leveraging its unique strengths," it added.
P&G's Hyderabad plant was one of the first plants in the FMCG industry to have 30 per cent women workforce.
"What is unique is that these women employees operate across all shifts and operate manufacturing equipment and are not limited to peripheral tasks. In an unprecedented move, we collaborated with the government and got legal approval to allow women to work across shifts," the company said.