Closing the gender gap

Closing the gender gap

The tire industry has significant opportunities to increase the representation of women within the workforce and corporate leadership. Recognizing this, TIP members have set targets to increase the number of women leaders within their companies. Sumitomo Rubber doubled the number of women in management positions between 2014 and 2020. Yokohama Rubber established a taskforce to support the advancement of women’s careers, through training, flexible working arrangements, and job-return and rehire policies. In 2019, the taskforce’s scope was expanded to a “Diversity Promotion Taskforce” to promote diverse workstyles that will enable not only women, but also foreign employees, employees with disabilities or LGBTQ employees to have equal opportunities within the company.

Social inclusion

Through participation in the French Government’s urban renewal initiative – Pacte Avec les Quartiers pour Toutes les Entreprises (PAQTE) – Michelin France demonstrated its commitment to social inclusion through a series of actions delivered through purchasing, recruitment and training practices. Actions included the hosting of groups of students and young school-leavers for a week of immersion in the company. The program also saw 14 refugees complete 16 months of training to become factory-maintenance agents and the hiring of 20 young people from deprived neighborhoods. Additionally, Michelin uses a simulationbased process to recruit operators that is designed to assess the agility and potential of candidates rather than their experience. Michelin also supports inclusive procurement and spent EUR €1.5 million in 2020 on the products and services of companies that the French Government recognizes as active and specialized recruiters of people with disabilities.

Learn more: www.paqte.fr/entreprise/michelin/

Hankook established Hankook Donggeurami Partners in 2015 to provide opportunities to the underprivileged and contribute to the growth and development of local communities. The company is a service provider for Hankook Tire & Technology’s welfare business operations and administrative support areas. In 2019, a total of 159 people with disabilities were hired, with diversity fully respected in the recruitment process. In April 2019, the company was honored with the Prime Minister’s Citation at the 2019 Inclusive Employment Awards in recognition of its efforts to promote stable and desirable employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It will continue to expand the program.