Rhodes PNG acquires certification for Gender Equality

Rhodes PNG, a building supply and construction company with operations throughout Papua New Guinea, Australia and the Pacific, has further cemented its reputation as an employer of choice for women, by receiving the world’s leading workplace gender equality certification – the Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) certification – www.edge-cert.org.

Rhodes today announced that it has been awarded the EDGE certification in recognition of its current practices and commitment to gender equality in the workplace. Rhodes is the only construction company in the Pacific region to achieve this certification. EDGE Certification will position Rhodes as the employer of choice for women in not only PNG’s male dominated construction industry but the broader Pacific Region as well.

With support and advice from the International Finance Corporation, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, Rhodes was awarded EDGE Certification after a rigorous third-party audit, which included a comprehensive review of the company’s gender policies and practices, detailed analysis of company statistics from the entire workforce, and evaluation of the experience of employees in terms of career development opportunities at the company.

“EDGE Certification, together with our company’s focus on creating a culture that values women as equals and offers women opportunities in the typically male dominated world of construction, reaffirms our position as an employer of choice for women in Papua New Guinea, ” said Rhodes Managing Director, Emanuel Papas. “With assistance from IFC, the EDGE certification process has allowed us to identify areas in our business where we could be doing more to create equal opportunities for women and men, enabling us to take greater advantage of the economic benefits that flow from a gender diverse workforce.”

Rhodes now joins around 20 other organizations in the East Asian region to be awarded EDGE gender certification, which evaluates companies’ workplace gender equality performance against global and industry benchmarks. The EDGE gender certification provides a competitive advantage by positioning a company or organization as a gender equal environment to work in, invest in, and do business with. EDGE is currently working with nearly 200 organizations, in 50 countries, and 23 industries.

“Rhodes now stands out as an employer of choice. We hope that other companies in the region – including those in traditionally male dominated industries – will take their lead and also recognize the benefits of gender equality at work,” said Thomas Jacobs, IFC’s Country Manager for the Pacific. “There’s no doubt that companies can be better places to work and can be more productive and competitive by fostering an equitable and inclusive workplace for women and men.”

IFC’s work in Papua New Guinea is supported by the Australian and New Zealand Governments under the Papua New Guinea Partnership.

About IFC
IFC—a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group—is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in the toughest areas of the world. In fiscal year 2018, we delivered more than $23 billion in long-term financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org
Papua New Guinea Partnership
IFC’s work in Papua New Guinea is guided by the Papua New Guinea Partnership. Australia, New Zealand and IFC are working together through the Partnership to stimulate private sector investment and reduce poverty in Papua New Guinea.

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