Sodexo hosts gender diversity forum in Asia Pacific
July 31, 2019
Singapore, 31 July 2019 – Sodexo, the world leader in Quality of Life services, drives action on gender diversity through its forum on “Fostering an Inclusive Organisation & Closing the Gender Gap in Asia Pacific”. Bringing together leaders and experts from over 30 organisations in the Asia Pacific region, the forum addresses the barriers and challenges to driving gender balance and inclusion.
Opening the forum, Johnpaul Dimech, Sodexo’s Asia Pacific Region Chair, shared that diversity and inclusion is a cornerstone of Sodexo’s culture and stressed the importance of embedding it into business operations.
According to Sodexo’s global study, the optimal balance is between 40% to 60% men and women in management. The Asia Pacific region, home to 60% of the world’s population, still sees uneven development. Sodexo continues to push the envelope with various initiatives such as the formation of SoTogether networks to drive inclusivity and empower female talents from both ground-up and top-down.
A key highlight of the forum was a panel discussion moderated by Kristin Engvig, CEO & Founder of WIN & WINConference (centre).
The panellists highlighted specificities of the region, relating successes and failures in fostering gender balance. Through a holistic approach of measures such as leadership advocacy, mentorship, policies and checking inherent biases, organisations and individuals can play a vital role in driving positive change.
Participants also related stories of triumphs, challenges and heart-warming moments on the diversity journey.
The session ended off with a collective commitment, led by Dr. Rohini Anand, Global Chief Diversity Officer at Sodexo, and Graham Sparks, Director and Lead Consultant, IAD Consultant, to share best practices and nurture diversity. “Fostering an Inclusive Organisation & Closing the Gender Gap in Asia Pacific” was held at Sodexo APAC House in Singapore on 26 July 2019.