SGS Chile Strives for Greater Inclusiveness

The program is aligned with SGS policies and driven by three key drivers: commitment, integrity and innovation.

Four pillars, identified as key aspects of workforce inclusivity, support the Inclúyete program:

1. Inclusion of people with disabilities

We value the different capabilities of the people we hire; our goal for the end of 2020 is for more than 2% of our workforce to consist of people with disabilities.

Actions we are taking to reach this goal include:

• An infrastructure review of the corporate building, followed by projects aimed at making any necessary renovations
• Modification of the recruitment procedure
• The use of a specialist occupational therapist to provide job evaluations for external and internal candidates with disabilities
• Preparations by HR to accommodate the inclusion of new employees with disabilities
• Reinforcing and enhancing the roles of leaders, to achieve best performance from their teams

2. Inclusion of foreign workers

In recent years, we have witnessed a significant migration of workers who could not develop professionally and have found, in SGS Chile, a true opportunity to contribute their talents. In June 2019, 6% of SGS Chile’s workforce came from other countries. We see these employees as contributing to the diversification of the company and to a workforce without borders. They excel quickly, and we are committed to providing them with internal development opportunities that fit their expectations and the needs of our organization.

This pillar of the Inclúyete program includes providing foreign employees with guidance on everything from aspects of Chilean labor legislation to more personal issues surrounding leaving their home countries and building new futures for themselves in Chile.

We have also established a new recruitment protocol for foreign employees, which facilitates and guides them through the processing and management of their work permits, among other things.

3. Youth employability

In March 2017, SGS Chile formalized its commitment to the Agreement for Youth Employability in Chile. Additionally, in October of the same year, we further strengthened our collaboration with the Forge Foundation, an organization that facilitates linking socioeconomically vulnerable young people with SGS, as their first employment option.

We also provide guided support from SGS technical experts in relevant professional practices, and we enable our more senior employees to share their experiences with young people, so they can learn more about possible opportunities for career development within SGS.

At SGS Chile, we have professionals who contribute by complementing the training of young people who have not had access to quality educational training. By providing this training, we are creating a positive impact in the community. We are also providing young people with an introduction to professional training. When they take this big step, their horizons will expand, and they can continue with further training. Currently, we have a complementary training program for young people that takes place in our laboratories and a complementary training program for young people who will be working in HR in different organizations.

4. Committed parents

The objective of this pillar is the successful integration of parenthood with professional development. SGS wishes to support employees that are building families and to facilitate a healthy connection between family and work.

This pillar was developed in response to existing attitudes about women’s role in the workplace and the need for woman to have greater access to management positions. It is important to challenge the paradigm that professional development and motherhood are incompatible, a belief that we find among young employees in Chile. It is important, as well, to challenge the notion that positions with high levels of responsibility are limited for women.

At SGS Chile, we have women in leadership positions. Many of them are reconciling motherhood and professional development.

At the country level, this cultural change is ongoing, and one that we are committed to facilitating. Talent is genderless, and the choice of parenthood does not limit professional development. On the contrary, it is beneficial to healthy organizations.

Our actions in this area include:

• Dissemination of best practices to our employees
• A statement identifying the benefits for and responsibilities of new mothers and fathers at work
• A lactation room in the corporate building
• Meetings on “Maternity and Professional Development” with pregnant employees and other employees, with and without children

After these four pillars were installed, it became necessary to rethink and expand on the meaning of leadership in the organization. Therefore, we have added an additional element to complement the four pillars: training leaders to become more inclusive. We strive to empower our leaders and make them more aware of the needs of all of their team members. Our leadership training includes meetings, individual projects and a compendium of best practices. Ultimately, participants will be able to advance beyond traditional leadership roles and become ambassadors for the achievement of an inclusive culture within SGS Chile.

Beginning in 2020 we will be focusing on additional areas related to inclusivity. These include activities dedicated to promoting greater inclusiveness among senior talent and to promoting diversity in gender and sexual orientation – two new pillars in our inclusivity program. We will also continue reinforcing inclusive leadership, based on integrity , commitment and innovation, as an aspect of our essence in both internal and external communications.