FGV establishes committee on gender equality

TO commemorate International Women’s Day 2021 this Monday (March 8), FGV Holdings Bhd will be organising the first meeting of its newly established Committee on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (CGEWE) this month.

The event spells FGV’s seriousness in advancing the gender equality and women empowerment agenda for all women under FGV’s duty of care, comprising employees at all levels including migrant workers and relevant community members.

FGV is committed to integrating a gender perspective to fulfil the group’s responsibility in respecting human rights, according to its group CEO Datuk Haris Fadzilah Hassan.

“This committee is established to assist the group in promoting full respect and support for the rights of women in the workplace on the basis of equality and non-discrimination,” Haris Fadzilah pointed out.

By creating an enabling environment for women to have equal access to all opportunities, we will be able to adopt a gender-responsive and gender-mainstreaming approach throughout our operations,” said Haris Fadzilah.

“While FGV complies with the recommended target of 30% female representation at Board level, the committee also aims to devise strategies to increase women representation in leadership positions in the company”

Currently, agri-business conglomerate has three women in its nine-member board. They are independent non-executive directors Datin Hoi Lai Ping and Dr Nesadurai Kalanithi, and non-independent non-executive director Dr Zunika Mohamed.

Notwithstanding this, 31% of women occupy positions in FGV’s group management committee.

The CGEWE will be guided by international human rights standards and principles, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), the Gender Guidance for the UNGPs, as well as the relevant International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) conventions, among others.

FGV’s chief human resources officer Siti Norbaya Mohammad Sarif will act as the committee’s chairperson while the members will consist of all relevant heads of divisions.

Women who hold leadership positions will become permanent invitees to committee meetings whereby FGV’s group CEO will serve as an advisor.

Among the agenda items that will be discussed during the inaugural committee meeting include the formulation of FGV’s gender equality policy and its action plan. – March 5, 2021

Subscribe and get top news delivered to your Inbox everyday for FREE