Most Inclusive Companies 2023

Pakistan is a signatory of UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 6 out of 17 SDGs emphasize diversity and inclusion through effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions. SDGs expand the integration of environmental, social, and economic policies and raises the bar on the role that all types and sizes of organizations in various sectors should play in supporting the global sustainable development agenda.

Pakistan’s Constitution Article 27 emphasizes equal opportunities without any discrimination on the basis of race, religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth. Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Companies Act and State Bank of Pakistan guideline make it mandatory for organizations to promote diversity & inclusion.??

Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) are the standards for organizations around the world. The GDEIB helps organizations determine strategy and measure progress in managing diversity and fostering inclusion. Global DEI Benchmarks Standards help creating more equitable and better functioning of organizations, confronting racism, sexism, and all forms of oppression, cultivate trust, acceptance, physical and psychological safety, lead inclusively, respond with agility, and thrive though disruption, promote wellness and self-care as ingredients for lasting change and contribute to creating a sustainable world.

The GBEIB – Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks : Standards for Organizations Around the World, is an 80-page Guidebook researched and written by 3 authors – Nene Molefi, Julie O’Mara and Alan Richter, PhD, with extensive input from 112 Expert Panellists around the world. It is designed to be used by any organization, in any industry or sector, and any world region.

Global DEI Awards provide a mechanism to recognize and encourage inclusive organizations which use GDEIB standards to align DEI with organizational policies for sustainable financial and social performance. Diversity Hub is a Centre of expertise within HR Metrics. Its mission is to help?organizations become?sustainable through inclusive cultural and behavioural change. The Hub reviews emerging global best practices, carries out local research to understand industry needs, produces data driven research reports and designs bespoke solutions to facilitate desired outcomes.

HR Metrics conducts GDEIB awards on annual basis through a merit-based process in which organizations are given the opportunity to disclose their diversity, equity, and inclusion accomplishments with a focus on social and economic impact on relevant stakeholders.?Organizations from all sectors across Pakistan are eligible to take part in the awards. GDEIB standards contains 15 categories, 275 benchmarks and 5 levels of maturity. To contest for awards, organizations are required to disclose their DEI practices in the light of GDEIB standards and provide evidence, such as reference, videos, photographs, case studies and policy extract. International jury of Award assesses all submissions and declares winner companies.

Jury for GDEIB Awards 2024 comprised of leading global DEI experts including Moneeza Usman Butt, Partner KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co Pakistan, Lynda White President, Mcleod White and Assoc Canada. Karen Francis PhD. Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Officer, American Institutes for Research USA and Gamiel Yafai Founder and CEO Diversity Marketplace UK. Awards were assessed on merit-based scoring method including Best Practice, Progressive, Proactive, Reactive, and Inactive.

On 31 Jan 2024, Zahid Mubarik SHRM-SCP, SPHRi, GPHR CEO HR Metrics announced jury result of GDEIB awards. Based on the performance assessment of year 2023, three companies were declared as “Most Inclusive Organizations 2023”; including, HBL, Bank Alfalah Limited and Nestlé Pakistan Limited. Top 10 inclusive companies are Engro Fertilizers Limited, HBL Microfinance Bank, Jazz, Faysal Bank Ltd, METRO Pakistan (Pvt) Limited, Aga Khan University and Standard Chartered Bank. Top 20 inclusive companies are Engro Energy Limited, Soneri Bank Limited, Engro Polymer & Chemicals Limited, National Bank of Pakistan, Pakistan Tobacco Company Ltd, United Bank Limited, Greenstar Social Marketing (G) Limited, PepsiCo, AGP Limited and Abacus Consulting Technology Limited

Overall companies winning awards in selective categories are HRSG, Martin Dow Group, Novo Nordisk Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited, Jubilee Life Insurance, K-Electric Limited, U Microfinance Bank Ltd, TPL Corp Limited, Bayer Pakistan Private Limited, foodpanda Pakistan, Mashreq Global Services (SMC-Pvt)?Limited, TPL Insurance Limited, Jaffer Business Systems, BRB Group, Allied Bank Ltd, HABIBMETRO Bank, Karandaaz Pakistan, Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited, JS Bank, Pakistan Stock Exchange Limited (PSX), The Millennium Universal College - TMUC, DVAGO and International Centre of Excellence (ICE) Pakistan. GDEIB awards will be held at Marriott Karachi on 5 Mar, on the eve of International Women’s Day.