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Did you know some people credit the Spice Girls with reinvigorating mainstream feminism (“girl power!”) in the 1990s?1
I can remember shouting the lyrics to “Wannabe” on the playground with my best friends, wearing our platform sketchers as we slid down aluminum slides and posing for photos with peace signs and an utterance of “girl power!” like our role model Ginger Spice.
When I think back on those days, if there is one thing that the Spice Girls taught me, it was the importance of being a strong and independent female.
An Exciting Time for Women
This new year began with a record number of women being sworn into office in the U.S. House of Representatives. The #MeToo movement went global in 2017, and an estimated 1.5 million+ people participated in 486 Women’s Marches and Rallies this year. Women are moving forward, and making change happen.
It is indeed an exciting time to be a woman. Our voices are louder than they have ever been, we are pushing for equality, and we’re not taking no for an answer.
On March 8th we celebrate International Women’s Day, and this year’s theme is #BalanceforBetter. I’m proud to work for a company that both celebrates women’s achievements, and also is making changes to ensure a more gender-balanced workplace, especially in our industry. (Read about our CEO Annette’s Claytons’ advice about why women should reconsider a career in energy.)
We’ll be celebrating at our offices across the globe and hosting lunch and learns, speaker sessions, and activities.
Schneider Electric Is Taking Steps towards Gender Equality
At Schneider Electric, we chose to act as role models in setting the tone for global gender equality. As a company, we’re involved in the HeForShe movement, and just celebrated our second year as an IMPACT 10x10x10 corporate champion.
Factors like this have not gone unnoticed. Our employees are proud of these initiatives, and I was thrilled to see that Schneider Electric has been ranked as a “Best Company for Women” among the top 50 large companies from Comparably, a compensation, culture and career monitoring website. The winners received the highest ratings by female employees who provided anonymous feedback on a variety of workplace culture questions.
“Developing a culture that promotes the parity of women in the workforce should be the standard for all employers,Comparably’s Best Companies for Women celebrates businesses that are rated the highest by their own female employees. They serve as examples for what workplaces should be like for all women.” – ” Jason Nazar, Comparably CEO
It was great to come into work with people chattering that they had seen the list of winners in USA Today and sharing the news on their social media pages. Throughout our company, both men and women are proud of the steps we are taking to promote diversity.
Additional Recognition
In the last year we also received other great awards including:
- Forbes’ Best Employers for Women 2018
- Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies 2018
- Bloomberg’s 2019 Gender-Equality Index
- Forbes America’s Best Employers 2018
- World’s Most Attractive Employers 2018 from Universum
- Listed in the top 15 Gender Equality Global Report & Ranking
- Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity 2019
These awards and accomplishments underline our core values and commitment to diversity. Schneider Electric is making a name for ourselves as a company that truly values its employees – and people are noticing. Can you tell how proud I am of my company? #HumbleBrag
So… what makes Schneider one of the Best Companies for Women?
At Schneider Electric, we believe in equal opportunities for everyone, everywhere. Our company is made up of an inclusive and diverse workforce. We are committed to increasing the representation of women across the company. Today:
- 42% of our board members are women
- 40% of our new hires are women
- 21% of our global leadership are women (Executive Committee, Senior Vice President, and Vice President roles)
We still have a way to go, but are making great strides. Additionally, we offer inclusive practices, like a Global Family Leave policy that is one of the best in the industry: 12 weeks of fully paid leave for primary care-givers (birth or adoption) and 2 weeks of fully paid leave for secondary care-givers (birth or adoption). This inclusive policy also addresses various leave needs-parental, elderly and dependent care and bereavement applied to all employees worldwide*, no matter who they are or where in the world they may be. Read more about Stephanie’s experience and Sue Ellen’s experience with the global family leave policy in their blogs.
In the United States, where widespread family leave policies still need overhaul, it is great to see Schneider paving the way. When I tell my friends outside of Schneider about our policy, they are amazed – most of them receive unpaid family leave.
What Next?
While we have made great progress, we still have work to do. Our goal is to increase the representation of women across our talent pipeline—to 40% at entry, and 30% in the top positions.
To meet these bold goals, Schneider is scaling our women’s leadership programming, attending workshops, and implementing a short-term incentive plan that integrates gender into the personal performance incentives and evaluation of nearly 500 leaders across Schneider.
Why I am Proud
I’m extremely proud to work for a company that is committed to creating a talented and diverse workforce. In the 8 years I have worked here, I have seen firsthand that it is a great place to grow in your career.
The company also offers so many resources to help employees grow and develop. As a member of our business resource group WiSE – Women in Schneider Electric, I am surrounded by strong peers who mentor each other and help me feel empowered as a leader.
So if you wannabe part of a company surrounded by great people and equal opportunities where “Girl Power” flourishes, check us out. Platform shoes not required.
Notes:
1: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/features/7439005/spice-girls-wannabe-girl-power-feminism
*: Employees must qualify for the standard benefits eligibility requirements in their country to be eligible for this benefit.
About the author:
Kristen (Krissy) Larsen is an Employee Branding Social Media Specialist for Schneider Electric in North America. She graduated from Bryant University with a degree in Marketing and Literary and Cultural Studies, and started with Schneider Electric in 2011. Krissy is passionate about Schneider Electric’s community programs, and is on the leadership council for our Community Impact program and involved in the Emerging Professionals Network. Outside of work, she regularly performs with an improv comedy troupe, and enjoys spending time with her husband (a fellow SE employee) and two dogs.
At Schneider Electric, we want our employees to be present for their life’s significant moments. Our family leave policy is inclusive, gender neutral and addresses needs at different stages in your life. If you’re looking for a company with great benefits and great people, apply today!
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Conversation
Jeroen Alewijnse
6 years ago
Good read & happy to hear we’re doing so well! However, I think it’s important to note the difference between “Equal opportunity” & “Equal outcome”. The goal should not be 50/50 male/female hires/positions.
The common objective should be 100% level playing field when it comes to opportunities regardless of gender.
Stephanie Byrd
6 years ago
What a great connection between Spice Girls and diversity & inclusion! I hadn’t realized how “Generation Next” could still be impacting me today. Time to break out my old (and some of my first ever) CDs.