Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
'We are committed to women inclusion'
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Philip Morris Korea's director of people and culture Praveen Upadhyay / Courtesy of Philip Morris Korea
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Philip Morris International (PMI), which was recently awarded equal-salary certification, hopes the recognition will build pride among its employees by reinforcing the fact that they work for a forward-looking organization.
The certification is an independent endorsement by the Switzerland-based not-for-profit Equal-Salary Foundation and auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers. The certificate confirms that the company pays men and women equally for equal work.
PMI became the first multinational to be equal-salary certified globally, with 90 affiliates worldwide including Philip Morris Korea (PMK) receiving the certification. This also makes PMK the first multinational company in Korea to be officially certified.
PMK's director of people and culture Praveen Upadhyay says the recognition is not just a win for PMK but also a win for Korea as it contributes to achieving greater gender and wage parity.
“We are both proud and happy, but not surprised. I think the equal-salary certification will serve as groundwork to ensure a diverse talent mix and inclusive culture as we move forward,” he said.
Upadhyay added that earning certification from a third-party organization is the most practical way to tell employees that the company continues to focus on equality.
Other than ensuring equal pay, Upadhyay said that PMK is working on various initiatives to improve gender balance management across the company.
“Currently, women occupy 47 percent of our headquarters office. We also provide flexible working arrangements that enable both women and men to succeed both at work and at home. We are one of the very few companies in Korea with a four-and-a-half day work week, with Fridays being a half day,” he said.
Upadhyay said that as the company is leading a transformation toward a smoke-free future, it recognizes that diverse teams and an inclusive culture are needed to drive innovation and success.
“Our efforts to achieve gender balance at PMK and make necessary changes to organizational setup are an essential part of our business transformation aimed at ultimately making a smoke-free future,” he said.
Given that the certification is valid for three years, Upadhyay said PMK is willing to undergo the 18-month comprehensive assessment process again. “We will make sure the equal-salary certificate is not a onetime event, but a long journey,” he said.