Take Steps to Implement Equal Pay for Women

A Worldwide Issue 

While most companies claim to pay women and men the same, the gender gap is still close to 23% on a worldwide level, reaching an average of 16.2% in Europe (source: Eurostat). This creates a lifetime of income inequality between women and men, and more women are retiring into poverty. 

This inequality persists in all countries and sectors, as there is still the culture that women’s work is undervalued and they tend to be concentrated in different jobs than men.  

A Symbol of Excellence 

After successfully passing the statistical analysis of all salaries, SGS Switzerland underwent an internal audit by an external auditing company, proving equal pay for women and men. 

EQUAL-SALARY certification – a symbol of excellence in terms of equal pay for all employees – was recently awarded to SGS Switzerland. 

“I am very proud that we have achieved this certification. 

“With 420 employees working on 10 different sites, including the headquarters in Switzerland, it represents an important milestone”, commented Jan Meemken, Managing Director of SGS Switzerland. 

A Benchmark for Other Locations 

“SGS is committed to all employees having equal opportunities and being treated with dignity, consideration and respect in all work-related settings. As a leader in testing, inspection and certification, we strongly believe in third-party certification to provide trust to all stakeholders. 

“The EQUAL-SALARY certificate, which demonstrates that SGS Switzerland is providing fair compensation to all employees, regardless of gender, is another milestone for equality at SGS and provides a benchmark for our other locations. Treating gender equally is a key pillar for our success and ability to attract the best talent,” commented Frankie Ng, CEO of SGS. 

A Building Block of Future Diversity & Inclusion 

“SGS is our historical partner for audits and, as such, its certification means a lot to the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. 

“While leading by example in applying principles of equality and demonstrating its commitment to consider employees fairly and with respect, SGS becomes an essential building block of the future of diversity and inclusion in the labor market, added Noémie Storbeck, co-CEO of the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. 

Building on Our Business Principles 

This achievement builds upon our work concerning our six business principles: 

Health, Safety and Environment 

Making sure we establish safe and healthy workplaces and protect the environment 

Quality and Professionalism 

Making sure we act and communicate responsibly 

Sustainability 

Making sure we add long-term value to society 

Integrity 

Making sure we build trust 

Respect 

Making sure we treat all people fairly 

Leadership 

Making sure we work together and think ahead

Support the equality mission. Learn more here.