Menzies Aviation has become a signatory of the United Nations’ Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) in a move the company says demonstrates its commitment to advancing gender equality and inclusivity and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within its operation and the communities in which it operates.
The WEPs provide a powerful framework to advance gender equality and set a global norm for the private sector, putting transparency, accountability and the tracking of progress and results at the center of the principles.
In line with SDG5 which concerns global gender equality, the seven principles focus on promoting equal opportunities, fair treatment, and non-discrimination for women, while also encouraging corporate leadership to drive positive change.
Juliet Thomson, chief people officer, Menzies Aviation, said: “We’re proud to show our support and commitment to advocating gender equality at Menzies Aviation.
“Our people are at the heart of our business and our success, and we want them to experience equity of opportunity, to feel respected and supported to learn and develop and to be able to be themselves.
“We look forward to implementing the Women Empowerment Principles framework and taking the next step in our own journey to create a more inclusive, diverse and equitable business that benefits every employee.”
The announcement follows Menzies’ participation in the UN Target Gender Equality programme in 2022. Last year, Menzies launched its Women in Leadership programme, completed by more than 70 people with more cohorts planned, and earlier this year it launched an allyship campaign to empower colleagues to show up as allies at work, supporting women and other under-represented minorities.
Menzies is aligned with IATA’s 25by2025 industry-wide campaign, aimed at shifting key diversity and inclusion metrics across the aviation industry by 25 per cent, or up to a minimum of 25 per cent by 2025.
Mirroring this commitment, Menzies is making strides to increase the proportion of females in its own senior leadership population from 19 per cent in 2022 to a minimum of 25 per cent by 2025, and middle leadership from 31 per cent in 2022 to at least 40 per cent by 2033.
The company’s move to support the UN WEP is part of its broader commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture where its employees can thrive.
Image credit: Menzies Aviation
