– “Women on Board” won first place in the People category of CONECTA 2024 Awards. In parallel, the company unveiled its Gender Equity Policy, which is based on ten commitments.
As a result of a long journey undertaken in this area and seeking to promote equal opportunities and a diverse environment that favors the sustainable development of the business, Blumar recently implemented the launch of its Gender Equity Policy.
The document is based on ten commitments that encompass different company processes and its environment. Among them, the incentive to promote women’s participation in leadership positions and their presence in different operational activities stands out; the promotion of reconciliation between work and family life, and the creation of instances that strengthen links with women in the communities where Blumar operates, seeking to drive their development.
Blumar has been developing work on gender equity in recent years through instances that have been formalized in the company. “We took all the work we have done with other organizations, which served as input for the Executive Committee on Gender Equity that held sessions with zonal tables throughout our operations. This allowed us to have governance in this matter to adopt realistic and traceable measures,” said Natalia Alfaro, Blumar’s People Sub-Manager and one of the leaders who drove this process.
The company’s work was also based on the subscription to the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) of the Global Compact, a tool that allows for advancing gender equity at all levels of the organization. “We are working with a world-standard tool that allows us to challenge and measure ourselves constantly. With this policy, we seek to recognize and promote gender equity as a fundamental pillar to encourage an inclusive and diverse environment,” Alfaro commented.
At the launch, which took place in Talcahuano, reflection was held on the relevance of building a Gender Equity Policy, as well as on the main challenges and how they were addressed, and how it is possible to continue advancing in this regard. “We seek to promote equity throughout our value chain and ensure that Blumar is a space where all people are respected equally, bringing our behavioral principles to life,” said Blumar’s Sub-Manager of People.
The policy is built based on current legislation and aligns with international treaties, such as those promoted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Principles of the United Nations Global Compact.
“Women on Board” Initiative Recognized by UN Global Compact
In the context of this milestone, Blumar celebrated this week the recognition achieved at the CONECTA 2024 Awards, an instance of the Global Compact that highlights private sector initiatives that have generated significant impact in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda.
The recognition, which held its fifth edition this year in Santiago, is divided into six categories: Planet, Prosperity, Partnerships, SDG Interconnection, Human Rights, and People. In the latter, Blumar’s initiative “Women on Board: Navigating Gender Equity” won first place.
Its objective is to promote gender equity as a principle of social justice and sustainable development, ensuring equal opportunities and rights for all employees. It also involves joint work between Blumar teams and strategic allies such as UN Women and the Global Compact.
The initiative addresses three Sustainable Development Goals: gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and reduction of inequalities (SDG 10).
Among other advances, an increase in women in key positions has been achieved. Specifically, 12% in senior management and 17% in managerial and junior management positions.
“This recognition demonstrates that collaborative sustainability initiatives generate real transformations. With ‘Women on Board’ we move forward toward closing gender gaps, promoting an equitable culture,” said Blumar’s General Manager, Gerardo Balbontín.
