Airbus : Employees Launch Network To Improve Gender Balance

Airbus Group will launch a new unified business network focusing on women's development on 9 March 2015 in the presence of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tom Enders at the company's Headquarters in Toulouse. Named 'Balance for Business', the main objective of the initiative is to improve gender balance and spur the recognition and development of women across the Group.

"We are looking to bring together men and women who see gender balance in the workplace as a means of enriching our business culture and increasing the company's performance and competitiveness," said Thierry Baril, Airbus Group Chief Human Resources Officer. "Tom Enders and I are committed to follow closely the recommendations made by the network and to take decisions accordingly. Diversity, and in particular gender balance, is a business necessity: 'Balance for Business' will serve this purpose." he added.

Over 2,000 employees globally will initially become part of the network, out of which 10% are male, and every Airbus Group employee will be welcome to join and participate. Previously, 10 separate women's networks were operating independently across Airbus, Airbus Helicopters, Airbus Defence and Space and Airbus Group Headquarters. The objective is to unify these networks and implement a trans-divisional, trans-national and trans-functional network within one entity.

'Balance for Business' will be managed by a Board composed of six employees from across the Group, in charge of managing business projects run on a voluntary basis and coordinating the activities of the network. The network will be overseen by the Group Diversity & Inclusion Steering Committee composed of: Airbus Group CEO, Tom Enders; Airbus Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Thierry Baril; Airbus Defence and Space Executive Vice President Head of Operations & Transformation, Pilar Albiac Murillo; Airbus Group Head of Corporate Audit & Forensic, Grazia Vittadini; Airbus Company Secretary & Airbus CEO Chief of Staff, Marc Fontaine; Airbus Senior Vice President Ethics & Compliance, Patrick Donovan; Airbus Helicopters Executive Vice President Engineering & Chief Technical Officer, Jean-Brice Dumont and Airbus Group Head of Leadership and Culture Change, Jane Basson.

At the end of 2014, women represented 17% of Airbus Group's workforce. Airbus Group is working proactively with schools and institutions to enhance opportunities and encourage women to discover the world of aeronautical engineering.

Airbus Group is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2014, the Group - comprising Airbus, Airbus Defence and Space and Airbus Helicopters - generated revenues of € 60.7 billion and employed a workforce of around 138,600.