Bloomberg’s 2021 Gender-Equality Index Reveals Increased Disclosure as Companies Reinforce Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces

In a post-Covid-19 altered business environment, the GEI highlights practices and policies – including flexible work arrangements – that can create competitive advantages for companies

New York, January 27, 2021 – Today, Bloomberg announced that 380 companies headquartered across 44 countries and regions are included in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI). For the first time, firms domiciled in Indonesia and Bermuda are reporting gender-related data. The GEI brings transparency to gender-related practices and policies at publicly-listed companies, increasing the breadth of environmental, social, governance (ESG) data available to investors. At a time when it is critical for firms to demonstrate their commitment to gender equality, the companies included in this year’s index are setting an example for more transparent reporting and disclosure of social data.

“As we continue to grapple with the pandemic, we’ve seen companies put increased emphasis on the ‘S’ in ESG,” said Peter T. Grauer, Chairman of Bloomberg. “The companies included in this year’s Gender-Equality Index are committed to providing an inclusive work environment, supporting work-life balance and flexible work arrangements to retain a talented workforce and create a competitive advantage in this changing business environment.”

Despite raising the threshold for inclusion in the 2021 index, a record number of companies disclosed their data, and the quality of disclosure continues to improve. This year, GEI companies had a 94% disclosure score on average. While the average disclosure score was high, the average data excellence score was 55%, making it evident there is still work that needs to be done. The data excellence score is broken down into scores across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies, and pro-women brand.

“As businesses strive to maintain strong corporate cultures in today’s virtual world, business leaders have the opportunity to drive progress on gender equality for years to come,” said Patricia Torres, Global Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions at Bloomberg. “This progress can begin with the GEI framework, which helps companies assess where they are on the path to gender parity relative to their peers, and hold themselves accountable to their goals. In turn, the GEI data gives investors a comprehensive view into how these practices are driving increased employee engagement and productivity, bringing higher market value to companies, and creating positive change in local communities.”

Flexible Work Environments
While the data provided for the 2021 index is from fiscal year 2019, it shows how companies were already considering more flexible working styles. For example, 87% of companies included in the GEI provide flexible working hours, and 85% offer flexible working locations, a benefit that has become more important amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Closing the Gap
On average, GEI members’ boards are comprised of 29% women, and 61% have a Chief Diversity Officer or an executive with the primary responsibility of diversity & inclusion. The companies have an average of 39% of women in revenue-producing roles and more than half (52%) require a gender diverse slate of candidates for management positions.

Culture of Inclusion
On average, index member companies are hiring more women than they are losing, 69% of which have a strategy for recruiting women, and 59% conduct a global gender-based compensation review. Additionally, on average, 85% of employees returning after parental leave remain with their company with 65% of companies offering on-site lactation rooms and 46% providing childcare subsidies or other financial support.

Inclusion Beyond the Workplace
This year’s data shows that communities are benefiting from inclusive corporate policies. More than half (60%) of index member companies sponsor financial education programs for women and 64% sponsor programs dedicated to educating women in STEM.

For Gonzalo Gortázar, CEO of CaixaBank, inclusion in this global benchmark index “represents the recognition of our commitment to equality and diversity, which are an essential part of CaixaBank’s culture. We will continue to remain committed to be a reference model in the sector, promoting inclusion and participation of equal measure and supporting projects that promote equality across all areas of society. This commitment is a challenge that we face with enthusiasm, determination and continuous learning.”

“In wake of the global pandemic, we can’t risk rolling back the important strides we’ve made to eliminate barriers and increase representation of women in leadership. We have a unique opportunity in front of us to reassess gender equality policies and practices, and rethink how we balance life and work in the future. So let’s continue to speak up for inclusion and work even harder to address inequalities that stand in the way of change for all those under-represented in our offices, boardrooms and video calls,” said Royal Bank of Canada CEO Dave McKay.

To continue expanding the availability of ESG data, Bloomberg now provides EEO-1 data to clients via the Bloomberg Terminal. This dataset includes information on race and ethnicity demographics on the U.S. workforce for companies that volunteer to disclose this information publicly as part of their reporting requirements to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The GEI’s standardized reporting framework allows investors to compare how companies around the world are investing in women in the workplace, the supply chain, and the communities in which they operate. Submitting data by using the Bloomberg gender reporting framework is voluntary and has no associated costs. The GEI is a reference index and is not for use as a financial benchmark. The index is not ranked. The firms included in this year’s index scored at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect a high level of disclosure and overall performance across the framework’s five pillars. To learn more please visit the GEI website. Bloomberg subscribers can access the GEI at {BGEI Index DES <GO>}.

Companies included in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index:
2U, Inc.
A.P. Møller-Mærsk A/S
A2A S.p.A.
Aareal Bank AG
AB InBev
Accenture PLC
ACEA SpA
Adobe Inc
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
AF Poyry AB
Aflac Incorporated
Akbank
Aker BP ASA
Albemarle Corp
Alcoa Corporation
Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp.
ALK
Alliance Data Systems Corporation
Alliant Energy
Allianz
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc
ALPHA BANK
alstria office REIT-AG
American Electric Power
American Express Co
American Water
Ameriprise Financial Inc
AMN Healthcare Services Inc
Anglo American Platinum Ltd
Anglo American PLC
AngloGold Ashanti Ltd
Annaly Capital Management
Anthem, Inc.
ARC Resources Ltd.
Aroundtown SA
Ascential plc
Assurant Inc
ASTM S.p.A.
AstraZeneca PLC
AT&T Inc
Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure plc
AU Optronics Corp.
Automatic Data Processing Inc
Aviva PLC
AXA SA
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited
Azbil Corporation
Ball Corporation
Banco Comercial Português SA
Banco Santander SA
Bank Hapoalim B.M.
Bank of America Corp
Bank Pekao SA
Bankia SA
Barclays
Bayer AG
BB Seguridade Participacoes SA
BBVA
Becton, Dickinson and Company
Berkshire Bank
Best Buy Co Inc
BlackRock
BMO Financial Group
BNP PARIBAS
BNY Mellon
BorgWarner Inc
Boston Scientific
Box
Bradesco
Braskem SA
Bright Horizons
Burberry Group PLC
Bursa Malaysia Berhad
CAE Inc.
CAIXABANK
Campbell Soup Co
Capital One Financial Corporation
Capital Power
Cathay Financial Holdings
CBRE
Cembra Money Bank AG
Centene Corp
Challenger Ltd
China Life Insurance Co Ltd/Taiwan
Chipotle
CIA DE GÁS DE SÃO PAULO – COMGAS
CIBC
Cie de Saint-Gobain
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Citigroup Inc
City Developments Limited
Close Brothers Group PLC
Coca-Cola European Partners PLC
Coca-Cola FEMSA
Commercial International Bank
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Core Laboratories
Cosan S.A.
Centrais Elétricas Brasileiras SA – Eletrobras
Credit Suisse
Crestwood Equity Partners
Daiwa House Industry Co Ltd
DANONE
DaVita Inc.
DBS Group Holdings Ltd
Deutsche Börse AG
Deutsche Telekom AG
Diageo PLC
DiGi.Com Bhd
DMCI Holdings, Inc.
Dominion Energy, Inc
Dow
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories
DuPont
Ecolab Inc.
EDP
EDPR
Enagás S.A.
Enbridge
Endesa SA
ENEL
Energy Absolute
Equinor ASA
Erste Group Bank AG
Estée Lauder Companies
Etsy Inc
Euronav NV
Eversource Energy
EVERTEC Inc
Exxaro Resources Ltd
Falck Renewables spa
FERROVIAL
FinecoBank S.p.A.
First Horizon Corp
FirstEnergy
Fiserv
Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd
Ford Motor Company
Ford Otomotiv Sanayi AS
Galapagos
Galp
Gap Inc.
Garanti BBVA
General Motors
Genting Singapore Limited
Gilead Sciences Inc
Global Blood Therapeutics
Gold Fields Group Services (Pty) Ltd
Goldman Sachs
Grand City Properties S.A.
Grifols, S.A.
Grupo Financiero Banorte
Grupo Televisa S.A.B.
Harmony Gold Mining Co Ltd
HCL Technologies Limited
Healthpeak Properties Inc
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA
Hera SpA
Hess Corporation
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Home Product Center Public Company Limited
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd
Horace Mann Educators Corporation
IAMGOLD CORPORATION
Iberdrola
ICL
Illumina Inc
Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd
Incitec Pivot Limited
Indra Sistemas SA
Industria de Diseno Textil SA
Infosys Ltd
ING
Ingredion Inc
Intel Corp
Interpublic Group
Intesa Sanpaolo
Intuit Inc.
Iren
Itau Unibanco Holding SA
Janus Henderson Investors
Jerónimo Martins
JLL
JPMorgan Chase & CO
Juniper Networks
Jyske Bank A/S
Kao
Kasikornbank PCL
KB Financial Group
Kering
KeyBank
Kilroy Realty Corp
Kinaxis
King’s Town Bank
L3Harris Technologies
LANXESS AG
Legal & General
Leonardo S.p.A.
Linde PLC
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp
Lloyds Banking Group PLC
L’Oréal
lululemon
Lundin Energy AB
M&G plc
Malayan Banking Berhad
Manulife
MAPFRE
Marriott International, Inc.
Marsh & McLennan Companies
Mastercard
Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
mBank S.A.
Mediobanca Banca di Credito Finanziario SpA
Merck
MetLife, Inc
METRO AG
MFA Financial, Inc.
MGM Resorts International
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.
Mizuho Financial Group
Moneta Money Bank AS
Moody’s Corporation
Morgan Stanley
Morningstar Inc
MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc.
Nasdaq
National Australia Bank
National Bank of Canada
National Bank of Greece S.A.
National Retail Properties, Inc.
Natixis
NatWest Group
Nestlé S.A.
Newmont Corporation
Nexi S.p.A.
Nexity
NH Hotel Group
nib holdings limited
Nielsen
NIKE Inc
Nine
NN Group NV
Nokia
Nomura Holdings Inc
Northern Trust Corp
Novartis
NVIDIA
Odontoprev
Old National Bank
Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.
ON Semiconductor
Pampa Energía
Pan Pacific International Holdings Corporation (PPIH)
PayPal Holdings, Inc.
Pearson PLC
Pennon Group
Philip Morris Products S.A
Phreesia
PJSC Rostelecom
Portland General Electric
Poste Italiane SpA
Precinct Properties New Zealand Ltd
Primerica, Inc.
Principal
Procter & Gamble
Provident Financial PLC
Prudential PLC
PT Mitra Keluarga Karyasehat Tbk
QBE Insurance Group Ltd
Radian Group Inc.
Rapid7 Inc
Realty Income Corporation
RED ELÉCTRICA CORPORACIÓN
Regency Centers
Regional
RELX PLC
REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais, SGPS, S.A.
Repsol
Robert Half
Royal Bank of Canada
RWE AG
S&P Global Inc
Sanderson Farms, Inc.
SAP SE
Scentre Group
Schneider Electric
Schroder Investment Management
Scotiabank
Sekisui House,Ltd.
Semirara Mining and Power Corporation
Sempra Energy
Seven Generations Energy
Severn Trent PLC
Shinhan Financial Group
Shinsei Bank, Limited
Sibanye Stillwater Ltd
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
Signet Jewelers
Silicon Valley Bank
Singapore Exchange Limited
Singtel
Site Centers Corp
SM Investments Corporation
Snam S.p.A.
SOCIETE GENERALE
SODEXO
SSE PLC
St Barbara
Standard Chartered PLC
Standard Life Aberdeen
Stantec Inc.
State Street Corporation
STMicroelectronics
Store Capital
Sul América S.A.
Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group
Sun Life Financial
Swedbank
Swiss Re AG
Target Corp
Taylor Morrison
TC Energy
Tech Mahindra Ltd.
Teck Resources Ltd
Telefonica
Telefónica Deutschland Holding AG
Terna S.p.A.
TGS
The Carlyle Group
The Clorox Company
The Coca-Cola Company
The Hartford
The Mosaic Company
The PNC Financial Services Group
The Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings
TIM Group
Toronto-Dominion Bank
TransAlta Corporation
Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi T.A.O.
Uber Technologies Inc
UBS
Ulta Beauty
Unicharm Corporation
UniCredit Group
Unilever PLC
United Utilities Group PLC
Unum Group
UOB Group
UPM-Kymmene Oyj
Vakrangee limited
Valero Energy Corp
Ventas, Inc.
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Vodafone Group
Voya Financial Inc
W. P. Carey
Walmart de México y Centroamérica
Walmart Inc
Wells Fargo & Co
Welltower Inc.
WESCO International, Inc.
Western Union
Westpac Banking Corporation
Weyerhaeuser Co
Williams-Sonoma, Inc.
Willis Towers Watson
Wipro Ltd
WNS Global Services Private Limited
WPP
WW International, Inc.
Xero
Yapı Kredi
Yuanta Financial Holding Co., Ltd.
Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Yum! Brands, Inc.
Zillow Group Inc
Zurich Insurance Group AG
Zynga Inc.

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