Many a company in the UK has been accused of gender insensitivity, but MITIE Group Plc and a few other companies seem to be blazing a trail as it was recently named one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women.
You‘d be wrong to think this positive image came overnight for Mighty MITIE. MITIE has always aimed to be different within the global security industry, not just in the UK, hence its FTSE250 strategic outsourcer places huge importance on delivering a supportive and inclusive environment for its staff and has worked hard to attract more female employees.
Led by Mrs Ruby McGregor-Smith, the first Asian woman to head an FTSE250 company, MITIE has introduced a series of initiatives to improve its culture for women in recent years, including as Vigilance gathered:
- Flexible working hours and a flexi-leave system
- Home working and a compressed working fortnight option
- Childcare vouchers
- Additional annual leave purchase schemes
Vigilance learnt that MITIE is also running programmes to encourage women to return to work after taking maternity leave and to support flexible working to help women maintain a career coupled with its graduate scheme to attract the best talent available.
Mrs McGregor-Smith, whom Vigilance learnt had set up and remains involved in a mentoring circle for black, Asian and minority ethnic female staff, enthused: “We are delighted to have been recognised by The Times for our commitment to making MITIE the very best it can be for our female staff.”
Adding: “MITIE is a fast-growing and ambitious company and will only reach its potential if it makes the most of all the talent within the company, including women. By making sure that we have the right environment and support for our female staff we will succeed together as a company.”
MITIES’s other initiatives recently introduced include: a Diversity Week; a mentoring programme for female rising stars; and a twice-yearly Employee Forum which discusses gender achievements, progress and initiatives.
The Times Top 50 Employers for Women list has been developed by Opportunity Now, a workplace gender equality campaign and part of Business in the Community.
Helen Wells, director of Opportunity Now, said: “The business imperative of equality and diversity has never been stronger, nor the need greater. MITIE