Phuc Khang Corporation obtains GEARS certificate for gender equality efforts

“Phuc Khang Corporation aims to boost and focus on human development, improve the internal manpower capability, and attach great importance to the building of corporate culture to create an efficient, fair, safe, and happy living and working environment.”

Phuc Khang made the statement at the VBCWE (Vietnam Business Coalition for Women's Empowerment) Business Forum 2023, themed “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – ESG Key Factors in Sustainable Development”.

At the forum, Phuc Khang Corporation was among the first Vietnamese enterprises to get the certificate for the workplace gender equality using the Gender Equality Assessment, Results and Strategies (GEARS) tool.

The green project developer has passed three strict assessment rounds, including personnel database, a policy and reality questionnaire, and a staff survey seriously conducted and carefully analysed by Australian appraisal experts.

GEARS is a tool developed by Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government catalysing inclusive economic growth through women’s economic empowerment in Southeast Asia, to assess gender equality policies and reality at workplaces, based on a study of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency under the Australian government.

Four Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, have applied the tool.

Phuc Khang Corporation conducted a GEARS survey in the corporation at the end of 2022.

Leadership and accountability in ensuring gender equality at workplaces

This is a key focus of Phuc Khang Corporation. The survey results showed that the criterion was the most important among the 10 criteria.

In particular, the leadership of the corporation, especially the general director, frequently makes commitments on gender equality in the workplace during its high-level meetings.

The general director and directors of units of the corporation have reached gender equality objectives and criteria during their meetings.

Leaders and managers of the units have later popularized these objectives and criteria to their subordinates.

The objectives include prioritizing the recruitment of female workers to ensure gender balance in its workforce, increasing the number of female leaders, and recruiting the disabled so that they account for two percent of the firm’s total employees.

With these foundations, the green project developer will take more specific acts to make gender equality at workplaces as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion become a custom of the firm.

HR employees of Phuc Khang Corporation participate in an annual internal training course, themed “Phuc Khang people on a sustainable development journey”.

Applying flexible working rules to improve productivity and support employees

Another key focus at Phuc Khang Corporation is the application of flexible working rules to increase work efficiency and facilitate employees.

The GEARS survey indicated that the corporation has developed flexible working policies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic with its Announcement No. 13 on the adaption to COVID-19, allowing employees infected with COVID-19 to work at home with full pay for seven days.

The company provided technical instructions about the work-from-home mode and monitored the employment of the mode thanks to its timesheet.

Phuc Khang also offered welfare policies not required by the government to all employees.

In the future, Phuc Khang Corporation will enhance the support of employees who are parents in taking care of their families and children.

The firm will also offer more benefits for female laborers.

In particular, it will provide consultancy for laborers, support parents returning to work after days off, and taking care of their family members.

Positive indicators for equality in recruitment and promotion 

Phuc Khang Corporation’s GEARS survey showed that the firm’s leaders play a positive role in boosting gender equality and integration among its employees.

In particular, during the recruitment process, the firm ensures that all dossiers are considered and assessed in an equal manner.

The corporation has also employed various recruitment channels to attract talents.

The leadership of the firm has proactively encouraged the recruitment, promotion and training of its workforce.

Based on the practical survey, the report on the workplace gender equality using the GEARS tool showed that “Phuc Khang Corporation is among the prestigious enterprises in the real estate sector in Vietnam. The company aims to boost and focus on human development, improve the internal manpower capability, and attach much importance to the building of corporate culture to create an efficient, fair, safe, and happy living and working environment.”

Phuc Khang Corporation is a green project developer with over 14 years of establishment and development.

With a mission of “pioneering in and encouraging the creation of better lifestyles for the public health and the sustainable human and ecological environment in line with the global green standards,” the firm has mapped out strategies to cement its internal force and focus on people.

The event of receiving the certificate for the workplace gender equality using the GEARS tool is a milestone during the firm’s sustainable development journey heading towards a green future.

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