Consumer Goods Retailers and Manufacturers to Drive Workplace Equality and Inclusion Through The Consumer Goods Forum

PARIS, December 4, 2020 /3BL Media/ – The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has today confirmed its ambition to create a world where the workplace ensures equal opportunity and inclusion for all, valuing differences between people, including those of different genders, races, ethnicities, ages, religions, disabilities, and sexual orientations. The members of the CGF Board voted unanimously to support the new initiative on Diversity & Inclusion, and this was verified by the wider membership during an Extraordinary General Assembly earlier today.

As part of this initiative, members of the CGF Board adopted a series of actions aligned with Diversity & Inclusion at the CGF. These include recruiting more female CEOs to the Board, increasing the diversity of those in leadership roles within the CGF’s Coalitions of Action, setting diversity targets for CGF events and programmes, inviting delegates to participate at Board meetings in place of absent CEOs and through ongoing best-practice sharing.

The CGF’s work on Diversity & Inclusion will begin immediately, as it looks to fill two open Board positions with female CEOs and will embed the necessary diversity targets in upcoming global conferences like the GFSI Conference in March 2021.

Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director, The Consumer Goods Forum, said, “A diverse and inclusive workplace is built on an environment where everyone feels supported and engaged, regardless of who they are or what role they have within the business. I look forward to working with my team to ensure this is the case throughout the CGF and with our members to help implement across our global membership”.

Emmanuel Faber, Chairman & CEO, Danone, and Co-Chair of the CGF Board, said, "We have a key role to play to ensure equal opportunity in the workplaces and encourage each person to bring her or his unique self to the company, regardless of visible and invisible differences. Inclusive diversity is a driving source of innovation and key to build a sustainable future, that’s why together with the CGF Board we have decided to prioritise the need for greater diversity and inclusion across the industry, convinced that our differences will make the difference!".

Özgür Tort, CEO, Migros Ticaret, and Co-Chair of the CGF Board, said, “As Migros Ticaret, we strongly believe that actions speak louder than words. With as wide a scope as possible, we strive to create a more inclusive workplace by providing equal opportunities for all in the belief that these changes will be reflected in society as a whole. In particular, the advancement of women in leadership roles is not only a vital step towards gender equality, it is also necessary to face actual business challenges. I genuinely believe that by embracing diversity and inclusion through this inspirational initiative, we will create a catalyst for positive global change leading to equal opportunities for all”.   

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About The Consumer Goods Forum

The Consumer Goods Forum (“CGF”) is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 3.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises 58 manufacturer and retailer CEOs. For more information, please visit: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.

For further information, please contact:

Lee Green
Communications Director
The Consumer Goods Forum
l.green@theconsumergoodsforum.com