The Los Angeles Post

Bloomberg Expands Eligibility for 2020 Gender-Equality Index to Include Nearly 6,000 Companies Across 84 Countries

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May 1, 2019  The submission period for the 2020 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) opened today to more public companies around the world than ever before. Now in its third year, the GEI recognizes companies that are committed to transparency in gender reporting and offer best-in-class policies and practices in support of women in the workforce. Nearly 6,000 companies in 84 countries will have the opportunity to disclose their data using Bloomberg’s gender reporting framework.

“The fight for gender equality in the workplace is a global issue, and over the years the GEI has shown that regardless of cultural or regional background, women across geographies are facing similar barriers to professional advancement,” said Kiersten Barnet, Global Head of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. “The expanded global nature of the Index will allow us to better understand how different countries and regions are tackling this critical issue and elevate best practices for their peers.”

For the first time, the Index will be open to companies headquartered in an additional 33 countries, including Kuwait, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Ukraine and Vietnam.

While all public companies are encouraged to disclose supplemental gender data for their company’s investment profile on the Bloomberg Terminal, those that have a market capitalization of USD1 billion are eligible for inclusion in the Index.

“For us, disclosing our data reaffirmed the importance of the goals we announced last year to increase our representation of women and US minorities in senior and higher-paying roles at Citi,” said Citi CEO Michael Corbat, whose firm has been a leader in data transparency around gender issues. “That is the only way that we will effectively reduce the difference in our raw pay gap numbers over time. The decision to disclose our raw numbers sent a clear message that we’re willing to confront this challenge head on.”

The GEI’s standardized reporting framework allows investors to compare how companies around the world are investing in women in the workplace, the supply chain, and the communities in which they operate. Last year’s Index included 230 companies headquartered across 36 countries and regions. The underlying gender data from these firms is available on the Bloomberg Terminal.

The deadline for data submission is August 15, 2019. Submitting data for the Bloomberg gender reporting framework is voluntary and has no associated costs. The GEI is a reference index and is not for use as a financial benchmark. To learn more, and hear from CEOs whose companies were recognized on the 2019 Gender-Equality Index, please visit the GEI website.