Diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I)
At Givaudan, diversity isn’t a checkbox; it’s our way of life. When you join us, you will help celebrate differences and create a world where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.
We believe difference fosters success
For over 250 years, we have cherished the richness of diverse cultures and perspectives. Diversity isn’t just a value that is integral to our success; it has been the heartbeat of our journey for over 250 years.
When you join Givaudan, your feeling of being included will come not only from specific global programmes, but from your experience in the workplace. Givaudan sites host a wide variety of local diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) activities, and we continue to build a community of these practices across all our operations.
We’re dedicated to attracting and retaining diverse talent. We want to ensure that every aspect of our business, from our products to our employee experiences reflects our inclusive spirit. In fact, nurturing an engaged and inclusive workforce is one of our business objectives; we know that people who are passionate about their work and who feel accepted, safe and respected are more engaged and tend to make significant contributions to their workplace.
As we see it, diversity and inclusion are catalysts for creativity and innovation, which are essential to companies like Givaudan, who are in the business of creation. The richness of our people creates a richness of ideas.
“In an inclusive workplace, employees who feel a sense of belonging, acceptance, safety and respect are more engaged and tend to thrive in what they do. Givaudan is a place where we love to be, and are encouraged to grow.”
Simon Halle-Smith, Head of Global Human Resources and EHS
Feeling at home from day ONE
We welcome new joiners with heart and soul, and want them to feel at home from the start. We do this through ONE Givaudan, a programme that helps new staff to understand our culture to build peer networks that can be vital to their success. New hires attend ONE Givaudan sessions on their first day, after three months, and after six months.
Tackling unconscious bias
We also run an e-learning module on unconscious bias to help all employees better understand the attitudes that might prevent inclusion. This helps people become more self-aware in terms of unconscious bias.
As a business, we have three key inclusivity goals running until 2030. These three goals – being an inclusive global employer, expanding our market leaders and amplifying women in leadership – are what we need to do as a business to contribute to a more inclusive society and to be a place where everyone flourishes, for decades to come.
Before
2025
We will be rated among the leading employers for inclusion globally.
Before
2030
50% of our senior leaders will be from high growth markets.
Before
2030
50% of our senior leaders will be women.
“At Givaudan, we’re committed to fostering real change. That’s why we’ve set ambitious goals and are dedicating more time, resources, and budget to new initiatives, focusing on creating a sense of belonging for everyone. These efforts will accelerate our journey toward inclusivity, ensuring a better future for our children and grandchildren.”
Gilles Andrier, Chief Executive Officer
We’re engaging with the broader industry
Givaudan is proud to be an active member of the LEAD Network (Leading Executives Advancing Diversity) in Europe. This allows us to benchmark actions and join cross-company educational programmes and CEO roundtables from the FMCG and retail industries. Membership supports us to join the discussion and meet our diversity, equity and inclusion goals.
Globally, Givaudan is accelerating its efforts to become a leading company in inclusion.
To achieve this, we have three focus areas:
Raising awareness
We’re committed to helping everyone at Givaudan better understand how to foster inclusion with regular communications, and training everyone from senior leadership to individual contributors.
Increasing representation
We’re placing more and more emphasis on supporting global and local actions for improved representation of high growth markets and women leaders in senior leadership.
Local engagement
It is about making everyone feel at home in all Givaudan locations with tailored local actions, supported by global and regional teams for a robust DE&I approach and stronger communities.
Our progress
To measure progress, in 2023 we developed an ‘Inclusion Index’ to gauge the perception of ‘inclusivity’ by our employees. These results help us to take the relevant actions to help us become a leading Company in inclusion.
Learn more on our progress and initiatives in our 2023 Integrated Report on economic and ESG performance.
Examples of our DE&I programmes in action, with events big and small
Celebrating Pride month
We honoured the LGBTQIA+ community with event highlights including, open dialogues in Argentina, panel discussions in Mexico, interactive sessions in Brazil, Pride-inspired fragrances in the USA, inclusion initiatives in India and colleagues joining official Pride parades in Paris and New York City.
Supporting visible and invisible disabilities
Our diverse initiatives include open forums for the UN’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, challenging disability perceptions with Better Balance and beyond in GBS for more inclusive recruitment and launching an IT programme to facilitate internships for talented students and graduates overcoming disability-related employment barriers.
Demonstrating equality
Givaudan Mexico earned voluntary certification as an equal employer, showcasing our commitment to fair hiring practices, wage equality, inclusive language, and ongoing training on equality and non-discrimination.
Join us!
If you’re interested in our approach and beliefs, let’s make a positive impact together! Explore current vacancies at Givaudan – a place where you can bring your whole self to work.
At Givaudan, DE&I isn’t a checkbox – it’s our way of life. We all have a part in ensuring those around us feel welcomed, valued, and accepted in our daily interactions. Every essence of you enriches our world. Join us, and let’s make a positive impact together!