Emerson promotes gender equality in UAE business leadership roles

The public-private initiative was launched in 2019 by the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC), the UAE Gender Balance Council (UAE GBC) and the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics (FCSC) of the UAE National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals to meet the requirements of the United Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality, prioritizing the importance of women’s participation in business decision-making at all levels.

To achieve this goal, 23 business leaders from Emerson and the Strategy Group have committed to increasing the entry and retention rate of women in leadership positions to 30 percent by 2025. Emerson is one of 15 US companies to have signed the pledge so far.

“As part of our efforts to create a vibrant work culture, we are committed to accelerating the role of women in corporate leadership in the UAE,” said Vidya Ramnath, President, Emerson Middle East and Africa. “We are also honored to be named ‘ Oil & Gas Inclusion and Diversity Company of the Year’ for our successful initiatives to positively impact the industry through our diversity, equity and inclusion programs.”

Globally, Emerson aims to increase the representation of women in leadership positions from 20 percent in 2021 to 40 percent by 2030. Likewise, the UAE prioritizes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in its strategic planning and operations, reinforcing Emerson’s commitment to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in its workplace.

The commitment is the latest in several key Emerson initiatives aimed at improving gender equality, such as the Women Influence Network, an employee resource group (ERG) that provides support, mentoring and networking opportunities to its 6,000 members worldwide. Emerson also hosts other programs, including webinars and events with organizational partners such as the Society of Women Engineers, to attract a new generation of women into its workforce.