Mitie Group PLC is delighted to announce it has today been named one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women for a second consecutive year.
The FTSE 250 strategic outsourcing and energy services company places huge importance on attracting female talent whilst delivering a supportive and inclusive environment for its people.
Led by Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE, the first Asian woman to head a FTSE 250 company, Mitie has implemented a series of initiatives to improve its culture for women.
These include a programme to encourage women to return to work and develop their careers after taking maternity leave, and a recent pilot of a maternity coaching programme to assist retention of senior female talent.
Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE, who has set up and remains involved in a mentoring circle for black, Asian and minority ethnic women, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for a second consecutive year by The Times for our commitment to making Mitie the very best it can be for our female staff.
“Mitie is a fast-growing and ambitious company and will only reach its potential if it makes the most of all the diverse talent within the company, including women. By making sure that we have the right environment and support for our female staff we will succeed together as a company.”
Mitie also has a dedicated diversity steering group that is externally chaired and made up of 14 diversity ‘champions’ who have undertaken management courses in equality and diversity, and are also responsible for supporting the gender agenda and implementing initiatives across the business.
Gender diversity in recruitment and mentoring is a strong focus for Mitie, with the company recently embarking on a targeted recruitment campaign to encourage women into engineering apprenticeships.
Helen Wells, director of Opportunity Now, which manages The Times Top 50 Employers for Women list and judging process, said: “Any organisation included in the Times Top 50 Employers for Women list has to be commended for its commitment to actively recruiting, retaining and progressing female talent.
“Businesses are dependent on having a highly motivated and diverse workforce and being included in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women list demonstrates a focus on creating an inclusive and diverse workplace that utilises the skills and talent of a diverse workforce. It is a clear statement that senior leaders see this as a commercial imperative, not a women’s issue.”
Other recent initiatives Mitie has introduced include: holding ‘Girls in Construction’ events to encourage more women into under-represented trades and to help address occupational segregation; and a partnership with Working Chance, a recruitment charity assisting women offenders in making the transition into employment.
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For further information, contact:
Bell Pottinger
Chris Watts
D: 020 7861 2859
E: cwatts@bell-pottinger.co.uk
Rebecca Lloyd-Wright
D: 020 7861 2499
E: rlloydwright@bell-pottinger.co.uk
Notes for editors
The process
Opportunity Now managed The Times Top 50 Employers for Women list and judging process. Entry was by self nomination and open to any employer with a UK presence. Employers needed to supply detailed information on what their organisation was doing internally as a top employer for women as well as what it was doing externally to promote gender equality, diversity and inclusion and to create opportunities for women in a wider context.
Organisations were also required to supply two case study stories of specific initiatives/programmes which demonstrated the work they were doing to create culture change. All the 4,500 word entry forms were stringently marked against a framework of best practice. The entries were assessed on an anonymous basis by a team of gender experts within Opportunity Now.
About Opportunity Now
Opportunity Now is a membership organisation for employers who want to accelerate change for women in the workplace because it makes good business sense. It works with employers, from the private, public and education sectors to offer tailored, practical and pragmatic advice on gender issues in the workplace.
Founded in 1991, the original aim of Opportunity Now was to maximise the potential of female employees and improve their recruitment and retention prior to the start of the new millennium. Nearly 20 years on the need for the work of Opportunity Now is just as strong. Opportunity Now is part of Business in the Community, a charity which stands for responsible business
