CHINT Global is a smart electronic and clean energy solution provider with an ambitious mission to “empower the world.” Soon after the company’s formal set-up in 2020, CHINT Global joined the UN Global Compact as a participant in 2021 and quickly discovered that a key pathway to achieving its ambition is to empower women in its workforce.
Its parent company, CHINT Group Co., Ltd., founded in 1984, has consistently pursued a strategy of “industrialization, technologization, internationalization, digitalization, and platformization.” Operating in over 140 countries and regions, CHINT Group employs over 50,000 people globally. In 2023, CHINT’s operating revenue reached $21.59 billion, and the company has been listed among the Top 500 Chinese Enterprises for over two decades.
“We have a long history of women in key leadership positions across CHINT Global’s businesses, and we are proud of that. We are committed to providing more opportunities and platforms for women to excel. CHINT Global will continue to cultivate female leaders, continuously create a corporate culture and promote the sustainable development of women，” said Lily Zhang, the President of CHINT Global.
In 2022, CHINT Global became a signatory of Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), a set of Principles offering guidance to businesses on how to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. The company also participated in the UN Global Compact’s Target Gender Equality Accelerator (TGE) in both 2022 and 2023 to further strengthen its progress on gender equality.
“At the moment, our workforce consists of about 40% female and 60% male employees. We monitor these ratios annually during recruitment,” said Eric Gu, the Head of Human Resources of CHINT Global. “Of course, qualification and capability are paramount for any potential employee, and we find no shortage of highly qualified female applicants in China.”
Women’s empowerment policies are also integrated into the company’s operations post-recruitment. Beyond national and local statutory paid maternity leave capped at a maximum of 158 days, CHINT Global offers a“one-hour early departure” for female employees with a baby under one year old, and 10 days per year of“childcare leave” for employees with children younger than three. The company also provides a maternity room for new mothers.
“I faced no difficulties or obstacles at work after returning from my pregnancy,” said Sarah Zhang, a PV Application Manager at CHINT Global and also a mother of two children.
“When I was pregnant, the company immediately assigned an engineer to assist me. Upon my return, we could hand over the work seamlessly,” she added. “CHINT Global ensures two days off weekly, greatly helping work-life balance.”
“I have my child and parents to take care of but I also have time for my own hobbies and a fulfilling life after work,” said Li Xia, a Winding Inspector at CHINT Global. Having started as a Winder, she says she was attracted to the company due to its reputation for supporting employees’ career development.
This reputation also helps in attracting talent to the company globally. Ilaria Zanetti, a marketing professional in Italy who faced challenges in persuading her previous employers to believe that a woman like her deserves a leadership role, is now thriving as a marketing manager at CHINT Global in Italy.
“CHINT Global allows me to balance work and life, gives me space for my ideas, encourages my self-development, and empowers me by providing opportunities to try new things,” explained Ilaria. “In the future, I hope to attend a business and administration course so that I can manage not only marketing but also more general business as well.”
CHINT Global’s business now extends to more than 140 countries. Yet, the company aspires to do more than just expand its business. At CHINT Global, the average annual income ratio of male and female employees is now 6:4, and 30 percent of management-level leaders are women. By joining the UN Global Compact’s Forward Faster Initiative in 2023, CHINT Global has committed to take corporate actions in achieving ambitious targets of“equal pay for work of equal value by 2030” and“equal representation, participation, and leadership across all levels of management by 2030”.
Just create more opportunities for women, and they will never let you down,” is the message Ms.Lily Zhang hopes to convey to all other companies and industries.
Looking ahead, CHINT will continue to focus on gender equality and diversity, providing equal opportunities and support for women and working with partners to advance the gender equality process.
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