International Women’s Day – How can companies support women in exploiting their potential?

There are still many things that prevent women from reaching their full potential. According to the World Economic Forum, it would currently take 132 years to close the gender equality gap, compared to the 100-year forecast before the epidemic.

Numerous studies prove that enabling the involvement of women to a greater extent in companies, communities and economies can bring measurable benefits not only for the business, but also for the entire economy and society. In the workplace, teams with equal representation of women and men can outperform male-dominated teams in terms of sales and profits, and make better business decisions.

Mars, one of the world’s leading confectionery, chocolate, food and pet food manufacturers, considers it its mission to create gender equality in 100 percent of its management teams with its inclusive processes, programs and initiatives, and encourages other companies to do the same. The company believes that supporting women so that they can exploit their potential not only has a positive effect on their own lives and those around them, but also greatly contributes to the growth and success of companies – this is also highlighted by the company’s Full Potential program. That’s why Mars has corporate policies and practices that improve representation while ensuring employees are paid fairly.

Currently, 43 percent of Mars managers globally are women. The proportion of women in senior management positions in the Central European region is already more than 45 percent.