BY KENNETH EZE
Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading solutions provider in the construction industry and a member of the Holcim Group, has been once more recognized for outstanding performance in gender inclusion and diversity within its ranks.
The Chairman, Board of Directors, Lafarge Africa Plc, Prince Adebode Adefioye, said, “Lafarge Africa’s commitment to female representation at the board and management rank and file level is unwavering. Our diversity and inclusion targets; which align with our sustainability strategy, set us apart and are a clear indication of our resolve to continue on this trajectory for more extraordinary outcomes. We remain resolutely committed.”
Noting the impact of the awards over the past year, Founder PWR Advisory, Ivana I. Osagie, said, “The release of the inaugural edition last year galvanised huge momentum in corporate Nigeria, raising awareness of the business case for gender diversity in boardrooms. As a result, since then there has been a slight increase in the number of appointments of women to boards particularly as non-executive directors and as managing directors”
While some progress was recorded, she highlighted the need for more to be done to accelerate the rate of change and unlock untapped value that is economically beneficial to businesses and communities in Nigeria and across the African continent.
In the case of Lafarge Africa, the company handed 45.5 per cent of the seats available at the board table to women, which was a significant jump from 40 per cent, where it was in 2020.
The 2021 edition of the PWR NGX Top 20 Gender diversity scorecard measures the level of female representation on the boards of the top 20 capitalised companies on the Nigerian Exchange.
The PWR Advisory is a leadership, diversity and inclusion advisory and advocacy firm operating across Africa, which assists corporate bodies to maximise the benefits of diversity and inclusion with a view to increasing performance and profitability by providing the platform for career women to develop leadership capacity, raise their visibility and representation in the marketplace.
