FIRMENICH BECOMES 100% CERTIFIED GENDER EQUALITY EMPLOYER IN 2018

Geneva, Switzerland, March 8, 2018 – On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Firmenich is proud to commit to becoming a 100% certified gender equality employer in 2018. Offering equal opportunities for all, the Group’s inclusive programs cut across compensation, recruitment and promotion practices, all the way to leadership training and mentoring, as well as flexible work arrangements and overall culture.

“In line with the Firmenich values, we consistently offer equal opportunities for all our colleagues to thrive around the world,” said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich. “Having successfully completed the social dialogue for gender equality supported the Swiss Confederation and social partners, I am proud to be making this benchmark our global standard today. This is not only the right thing to do for society but also for business!”

“Equality is embedded across Firmenich at all levels, starting at the top, with our Executive Committee, counting 7 nationalities and one third of women”, said Mieke Van de Capelle, Chief Human Resources Officer at Firmenich. “Globally, our female colleagues represent 40% of our workforce and 36% of our senior management. By being certified as a 100% gender equality employer, we are reaching our next level of excellence, going far beyond equal pay, with clear benchmarks to measure our success transparently.”

Firmenich regularly benchmarks its global compensation structure to ensure its equity and fairness in the workplace. In 2015, the Group successfully completed the social dialogue for gender equality supported the Swiss Confederation and social partners, within the country’s top-tier companies. Building on this achievement and using the same methodology, Firmenich went on to confirm equal pay performance across its main sites. In 2018, the Group is making equal pay a global standard across all its operations.

 

About Firmenich

Firmenich is the world’s largest privately-owned company in the fragrance and flavor business. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, it has created many of the world’s best-known perfumes and flavors that billions of consumers enjoy each day. Its passion for smell and taste is at the heart of its success. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends. Each year, it invests 10% of its turnover in R&D, reflecting its continuous desire to understand, share and sublimate the best that nature has to offer. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.34 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2017.