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Press release

Signature moment: Frans Muller signs UN statement supporting gender equality

March 28 2019 – Ahold Delhaize CEO Frans Muller joined thousands of business leaders worldwide this month to sign a United Nations statement supporting gender equality. Called the “CEO Statement of Support for the Women’s Empowerment Principles,” the 1-page document urges the advancement of equality between men and women.

The principles encourage companies to promote gender parity and empower women in the workplace and the supply chain through professional development and public reporting on gender equality progress. They are widely considered as the global standard for companies striving for gender equality.  

“Women empowerment and gender parity are of crucial importance to Ahold Delhaize. It’s simply the right thing to do and it’s also good for business, “ Frans said, adding that gender equality is especially important for grocery retailers given that 75% of shopping decision-makers are women.

Ahold Delhaize and its local brands employ more than 370,000 associates. Though women currently make up half of Ahold Delhaize’s workforce, Frans noted that about 33% are at the director level and up. “We are not satisfied with the current statistics,” he said. “There’s clearly room for improvement. Diverse, balanced teams are not nice to haves’ for us. They are must haves.”