Philip Morris becomes first multinational to obtain global equal salary certification
Leading tobacco company Philip Morris International announced this week that it has become the world’s first international company to be certified globally for equal pay by the independent third-party EQUAL-SALARY Foundation.
“The global EQUAL-SALARY certification demonstrates the great amount of work our colleagues across the world have accomplished in confirming equal pay for equal work throughout PMI worldwide,” said André Calantzopoulos, CEO of PMI. “We need to use this moment to celebrate and continue building an inclusive, gender-balanced organization as we deliver upon our transformation and a smoke-free future.”
The equal pay certification highlights Philip Morris’ renewed commitment to corporate social responsibility that has manifested over the past year, by placing inclusion and diversity at the core of its business strategy as a key enabler for the company’s business transformation from a traditional cigarette manufacturer to a science and technology-focused company with a pipeline of smoke-free products.
In an interview with Business Chief, Philip Morris' Senior VP of Communications, Marian Salzman said: “I have never seen a company that cares more about getting it right on this topic of inclusion and diversity.”
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The EQUAL-SALARY certification methodology verifies that PMI pays all of its employees, in more than 90 countries worldwide, equally for equal work, regardless of gender. The EQUAL-SALARY process includes a statistical analysis of all salaries of PMI staff worldwide and onsite audits of PMI country affiliates by PWC, the foundation’s entrusted third-party auditor. The auditors talk to management to confirm their commitment to gender pay equality, hold focus groups with employees to understand their perception of that commitment, and review HR-related policies and practices to identify gender bias, recommending corrective actions as needed. This rigorous process spanned the course of 18 months, involving input and commitment from top down and bottom up, demonstrating the company’s commitment to equality.
“By its global character, the certification of Philip Morris International is a major step for pay equality between women and men,” said Véronique Goy Veenhuys, founder and CEO of the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. “That a leading Fortune 500 company makes such a commitment is a strong signal. We are proud of the international scale that PMI’s global certification gives to our cause.”
The accreditation of PMI’s global EQUAL-SALARY certification kicks off a dedicated week of activities, the “Week of Women,” culminating in an immersive day of discussion and learning on International Women’s Day.
