Diversity and
Inclusion

Made up of 115 different nationalities, our rich cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths. We are committed to diversity and inclusion to create a positive business and social impact. We foster an open environment in which difference is celebrated.

115
nationalities represented
in our workforce
59%
women in our workforce
22%
women in senior
management
49%
women in middle management (12% more than 2017)
22
women hired at the warehouse in 2018
70
Increased maternity leave to 70 days (Exceeds UAE regulation by 10 days)
5
Increased paternity leave to 5 days (Exceeds UAE regulation by 2 days)
0
incidents of discrimination

Key Stories

Taking ourselves to task

In 2018, our executive committee signed a Diversity & Inclusion Board charter to show our commitment to uphold the principles of diversity, equality, fairness and respect. Thereafter we created a diversity and inclusion (D&I) taskforce who meet on a quarterly basis to ensure our D&I policy is being implemented and to continue to build awareness of the issues and value of having a diverse workforce.

We have also established a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) for business units on diversity and inclusion forming part of the ‘People’ pillar of our sustainability strategy. We have set D&I targets for year 2020 and we are adopting measures to achieve such targets.

We have also ensured that that D&I elements are embedded in our Code of Ethics, the overarching framework that governs how we work every day.

As Signatories of Women Empowerment Principles, we continue to show our commitment to empowering women and fighting for gender parity, such as ensuring equal access to promotions, opportunities and benefits to all. In 2018, on International Women’s Day, we were recognised by United Nations Global Compact local UAE network for our work in advancing gender parity in the regions where the group operates.

We also carry out awareness raising campaigns which seeks to promote an inclusive work environment using our corporate Instagram account and other platforms reaching both internal and external audiences.

Digital mentors

We recognise that the fast-moving world of digital technology can pose technical and personal challenges for some of our colleagues.

To help employees whose digital skills are less advanced, we have established a mentoring programme in which people with more advanced tech skills support others. This empowers the tech-savvy youth within our Group to offer their support through a less conventional reverse mentorship programme.

Mentoring is organised through an online platform used to match people. We also have a “mentoring side-by-side” initiative that helps with peer-to-peer support. The programme offers the opportunity to share knowledge and expertise, build a network or trust-based relationships and learn from the internal expertise within the Group. 27 mentoring relationships were created in 2018.

Creating an inclusive ‘sense of one’

Our aim is to make sure our colleagues in all regions feel included and connected - creating a ‘sense of one.’

Our vertical business model has created some challenges for effective teamwork and communication between groups. However, we have developed several different channels that help us to create an inclusive work environment. Our EMAC desktop platform provides a one-stop-shop for all the information and support an employee needs and provides opportunity for feedback. We have also developed and released the MyChalhoub app in 2018 connecting us all to one another. We had 7,477 employees on the app after 6 months of launch with an average of 4,914 active users and 766 posts every month.