UK’s supermarket major Morrisons has recently announced a commitment to identify future female business leaders and a target to more than double the number of its female senior managers by 2014.
Morrisons is setting a target of reaching 30 per cent female representation on the company’s Senior Management Group (SMG) – the top executives in the company – within three years. This figure currently stands at 13 per cent and the management believes more can be done to ensure women can move from the shop floor to the top floor.
Morrisons also believes making these changes will be good for the business, its customers and shareholders as it creates a bigger talent pool and will mean that the management is more representative of customers and employees.
In order to achieve its 30 per cent target, Morrisons is developing the skills, mindset and experience of colleagues. It has established a steering group to ensure opportunities are created for women in the business. Coaching and mentoring are also being provided for 300 senior women in Morrisons.
The programme has the backing of Morrisons’ board, including non-executive directors Johanna Waterous and Penny Hughes. It will be driven by Toni Eastwood, Morrisons’ Director of Academy and Talent, who has been a leading voice on this agenda over the last 12 years and was recognised in 2007 with an OBE for her services.
Norman Pickavance, Morrisons group HR director, said, “We have a long way to go to meet our aspiration, but we believe we are honestly facing this issue and setting out to fix it. However, we believe passionately that all our colleagues have talent and we are totally committed to identifying issues and taking positive action to address them.”
Dalton Philips, Morrisons chief executive, said, “This will make us a better business and we want to see more women in senior management and on our board.
– IndiaRetailing Bureau
