KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — Tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris Malaysia (PMM) has become the first company in Malaysia to be certified by the Equal-Salary Foundation for bridging the pay gap between genders.
PMM received the international non-profit organisation’s EQUAL-SALARY certification, which is aimed at companies with 50 or more employees, including at least 10 women.
The foundation’s founder Véronique Goy Veenhuys said the certification makes PMM the frontrunner of the rigorous, independent Equal-Salary methodology in Malaysia.
“The commitment of companies like PMM is a welcome step forward on the journey toward achieving global wage parity, and contributes to the broader challenge of closing the gender pay gap,” she said.
PMM’s managing director Kang Tae Koo said his organisation’s success depends on its talented and diverse workforce.
“One where individuals enjoy opportunities to learn, grow and prosper in their career. This means providing fair and equal remuneration for men and women for equivalent work.
“At PMM, our values and principles call for nothing less. This certification, the first for a Malaysian company, makes us an employer of choice committed to equality and to fostering an inclusive and dynamic workforce,” he said in a statement.
Although Malaysia has made milestones in reaching gender parity for education and health, it is still ranked at 101 out of 149 countries when it comes to pay, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2018.
The report highlighted that the gaps in terms of both salary and labour force participation still remain an issue within the country.
*A previous version of this story contained an error which has since been corrected.
