Advance member companies share best practices for the benefit of advancing gender equality in Swiss Business. You can access 30+ best practice cases in two ways: Explore the 4 Key Enablers of Change to find inspiration, or search our best practices bank by keywords you are interested in.
Take a read of the game changing practices and initiatives that Swiss companies are investing in for better and gender inclusive business. – Together we #advance faster!
Structures, processes and policies are historically biased and often privilege male careers. Discover how companies are changing the ‘rules’ to drive equality for all.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” The best engineered policies and processes are redundant if people can‘t act on them. Find out how companies are curating an open mindset, values and behaviours to build inclusive cultures.
Accountability and rewarding the right behaviours are cornerstones of sustainable change. Learn how leaders are challenging the established norms and taking responsibility for gender equality.
Strategic action at the grassroots speeds up change from the top. Be inspired by initiatives that empower women, encourage and support men to be allies and enable changemakers on all levels to shine.
Job sharing was introduced at Nestlé Switzerland in 2020, and after some initial challenges in factories, it was successfully implemented at Nestlé Waters Switzerland in May 2023. This initiative helped retain a valuable engineer by offering a reduced activity rate. It resulted in the company's first job-sharing arrangement in a factory setting with two engineers working at 60% capacity each. The positive outcomes have led to more job sharing pairs in factories across Switzerland, with a focus on continuous improvement and flexibility.
As a global organization, JTI had established several policies to support the DEI agenda and were in the process of being certified by the EY Global Equality Standard. However, they recognized the need for a more localized implementation that met the specific needs of the organization at the time. By focusing on inclusion, raising awareness around bias, and introducing initiatives like the Virtual Reality „Men in Business – In the Body of a Woman“ experience, they have started to see positive changes in conversations, employee engagement, and inclusive management across the organization.
In 2007, a group of women leaders at SAP initiated the SAP Business Women Network (BWN) to elevate the role of women in technology and within the organization, when only 18.2% of management positions were held by women. Today, BWN has grown to over 17,000 members globally, with the Swiss chapter boasting 290+ members and contributing significantly to SAP's success. By 2024, the representation of women in management at SAP increased to 29.8%, with BWN Switzerland leading initiatives such as allyship and career development to drive company culture.
"PowHer," a mentoring initiative that started in Zurich seven years ago, addresses the lack of female mentors and role models in digital fields by connecting women of different ages, positions, and professions as mentors and mentees. The program, which operates independently from other company initiatives, has grown in popularity and is now open to all women across the organization. It has not only increased the visibility and recognition of women in the workforce but also fostered a strong sense of community and lasting support among its members.
Generative AI (GenAI) is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily work, but with its use comes exposure to inherent biases. To address this, Accenture brought together experts from GenAI and inclusion to discuss these issues, focusing on promoting inclusivity through thought leadership and responsible AI frameworks. This collaborative approach aims to ensure GenAI is used responsibly and fairly, leveraging progressive governance to adapt to rapidly evolving technology.
Financial education is a big gamechanger for gender equality. 40% of employees rate money as a top stress factor, losing 13 hours a month worrying about finances at work. To address this, six onsite workshops with Olga Miler from SmartPurse were organized at the Johnson&Johnson Zug campus, covering financial basics, communication about money, and investing. The workshops were highly successful, boosting confidence in financial matters, and will be expanded in 2024.
If CEOs are value-driven they make Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion a strategic focus area. By trusting and supporting their leaders to authentically champion these initiatives, the organization is able to foster a positive culture, improve performance, and achieve success.
When leaders are empowered to pursue their beliefs and values, they can lead with authenticity, integrity, and purpose, resulting in positive impacts on the organization.
Vontobel's new co-CEOs prioritize collaboration and diversity, implementing "One Vontobel" model to break silos. Their inclusive approach fosters innovation, diverse perspectives, and better outcomes in the fast-paced financial market.
IKEA Switzerland achieved and maintained a 50/50 gender balance among store managers since 2014, as part of its commitment to equality and diversity. This has contributed to improved business results, with women in leadership becoming the norm and influencing various aspects of the company's workforce composition.
The new parental leave policy offers 16 weeks of fully paid leave to all employees regardless of gender, supporting natural, adoptive, same/opposite sex partners, and single parents. The policy has been well-received by employees, fostering equity and inclusion, supporting the transition to parenthood, and contributing to improved retention and engagement.
The IT department at Siemens faces a challenge of under-representation of women in management positions, not due to rejection but lack of applications. In response, Siemens created a program to promote women in IT and prepare them for leadership roles through workshops, skill development, and networking opportunities.
Das Sponsoring-Programm von Syngenta für Frauen zielt darauf ab, durch gezielte Vernetzung, Unterstützung bei globalen Standortwechseln und konkreten Möglichkeiten für Weiterentwicklung eine Reihe von weiblichen Tech-Führungskräften innerhalb des Unternehmens und der Branche aufzubauen.
