ESG Report 2022 single pages web - Flipbook - Page 39
One particularly exciting development this year was the
launch of the Globesmart cultural education tool across
the Group. This provides learning content specifically
focused on education on different cultural and national
groups. The tool provides powerful insights into different
cultural heritage, behavioural norms and broader points
of cultural sensitivity. After a good initial reception by
colleagues we intend to roll it out extensively to accelerate
understanding and performance across our many
multinational groups working together on international
business projects.
In May this year we implemented our first group
succession planning exercise during which we sought
to identify and match high-potential internal candidates
to senior level opportunities (at the CEO minus 1 and 2
levels). Whilst this was not an inclusion initiative per se,
identification of internal high-potential candidates from
under-represented communities was formally a part of the
process, and one output of the exercise will be to target
development at identified candidates to accelerate their
career development into senior leadership roles.
We are also mindful of the importance of diversity at the
most senior levels in the organisation including our Board
and Executive Team. The Board as at 30 September 2021
was 29/71 (Female/Male) and changed to 38/63 (Female/
Male) after the appointment of a new Non-Executive
Director in July 2022 (Julie Southern who will replace
Andrew Brode as Chairman when he steps down in October
2023). The mix is now 44/56 (Female/Male) following the
appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer (Candida
Davies who joined us in October 2022).
From October 2022 the mix in the Executive Team will
move from 20/80 (Female/Male) to 33/67 (Female/Male)
with the appointment of our new CFO and General
Counsel and Company Secretary. The mix as at 30
September was 11/89 (Female/Male).
We remain fully committed to addressing gender diversity
over time, principally through recruitment and training
initiatives aimed at bringing more women into technologyoriented roles and recruiting and/or internally developing
more women into management and leadership roles – the
recent Board and Executive Team appointments serving
as good examples of our commitment to this principle.
We know that these initiatives do make a significant
difference – for example, our ongoing recruitment
initiatives in technology where we have specifically
targeted women have increased the number of female
recruits into RWS technology roles, with 29% of our hires
over the course of FY22 being female (25% in FY21).
While this is a higher proportion than the external market
typically achieves in this area, given the relatively low
number of women in the technology profession globally
(19% – source Women in Tech), naturally 50% would be
our ideal and we will continue to extend our efforts in this
regard through FY23 and beyond.
Overall, we are happy with the progress we are making
around diversity, equity and inclusion, and increasingly
see it as a genuine source of advantage in our markets.
In the engagement survey completed in September FY22,
we are encouraged by the results with an 83% favourable
response to the critical question “RWS promotes a diverse
culture where individuals from all backgrounds feel a
sense of belonging”.
FY23 will see the introduction of the RWS Diversity Council,
whose mission is to develop a unified diversity, equity
and inclusion strategy for the group, better demographic
data about our people (our demographic questionnaire is
now at 36% completion – 31% last year), and even greater
collaboration in our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts
where there are clear synergies between groups.
FY23 goals:
•
•
Launch the RWS Diversity Council
•
Build clear development plans for future leaders
identified during our succession planning review
Develop unified diversity, equity and inclusion
strategy for the Group and execute
SOCIAL RWS — ESG Report 2022
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