Unilever CEO Paul Polman Believes in Gender Equality for Women in Business

Have you ever felt like you landed a job with a business just because you’re a woman? Think again. You received that job for a reason – that doesn’t have to deal with your two X chromosomes – and you should be nothing but proud. Companies don’t just hire women for gender equality; in fact, Paul Polman says that women play a large role in and have a big impact on the success of a business.

In a #TalktoMe segment with Huffington Post, Unilever CEO, Paul Polman sat down with his son, Sebastian, for a playful yet meaningful interview. They discuss the realities of being CEO, but most importantly, they talk about the role of businesses in society.

Now, business women of the future, take note. For Paul Polman, money shouldn’t be a business’s goal. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of corporate social responsibility. He says that the purpose of a good business should be to make a positive contribution to society, and that a business should reconsider their mission if it can’t explain how it helps or does good to others.

Polman also discusses the good that gender equality does for the corporate world. He recognizes that not everyone has the same opportunities, but he says that if women were invested in as much as men, the global economy would increase by about 28 trillion in the next 15-20 years alone. Polman and Unilever work to keep the business ‘gender-balanced’ because he believes that “if you invest in women, then you often get a higher return.”

Achieving gender equality in the workplace is not only vital because it is ‘the right thing to do’, but also because it helps businesses flourish and our world be more productive. According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency in Australia, there are many benefits of inclusion and balance of both men and women, including:

• You get the best of both (gendered) worlds. What do we mean? Instead of just getting the best people out of the male population, you can have the best workers of both gender pools. Considering that women typically have more education than men, businesses miss out when they are missing women.
• Consider this equation: A business that includes men and women is a more fair workplace and a more fair workplace means less employee turnover. Since replacing an employee that leaves can cost as much as 75% of their annual wage, occupational gender equality is better for everyone’s bottom line.
• Companies – and their countries – work better and produce more. A variety of studies have shown that gender equality can lead to increased performance, productivity and competitiveness – possibly due to the increase in diversity, perspectives and overall talent. Whatever the reason, including men and women could be the key to a successful business.
• No more waste! Besides wasting the talent that unemployed women may have, not including women in business also wastes the time and money spent on their schooling.

Whatever the reason is for including women in a business – whether to do “the right thing” to increase inclusiveness, improve productivity, save money in the long run or make women’s education worthwhile – one fact remains: gender equality isn’t just the politically correct, legal or morally right choice. It’s the smart choice for any business that wants to succeed, experience growth and leave a mark on the world.