23 Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2022 PILLAR 1: HUMAN CENTRIC In support of IWD, ARA Venn made a donation to Smart Works, a charity focused on encouraging and supporting disadvantaged women seeking to return to work. Our senior team members from ARA Venn and ARAE registered to speak at events organised by Women Talk Real Estate with the aim to raise the visibility and profile of under-represented groups within the property sector. Employees are encouraged to volunteer at organisations like “Inspiring the Future” to support diversity by providing individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds with access to a wide range of role models for growth and empowerment. We look forward to participating in more of these events in the future. DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION Diverse workplaces free from discrimination We are an equal opportunity employer and believe that a diverse workforce promotes innovation and growth through independent thinking and new ideas. We provide our employees with an inclusive and diverse work environment, empowering them to learn and grow within the organisation. In 2022, ARA Venn and ARA Europe (ARAE), both ESR Group Companies, formed a dedicated Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Committee. This committee comprises senior representatives from across these entities, together with an external consultant. The committee meets on a bi-monthly basis to discuss and implement various policies and initiatives to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion principles are embedded across the organisation. Each region also has a separate D&I sub-committee hosting regular meetings to keep track of progress on the policies and initiatives implemented. We believe that a positive and inclusive work environment is essential to attract, motivate and retain a diverse pool of talents. Consistent with our commitment to provide a conducive, diverse, and inclusive work culture, our policies on Code of Conduct and Business Ethics and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion ensure valid concerns of unfair employment practices, malpractices and impropriety in the workplace are addressed. As part of our annual learning initiative to promote awareness and knowledge on diversity, equity and inclusion, the Group organised a learning session in 2022. The participants, through sharing by an external subject matter expert, benefitted from an understanding of unconscious bias, its impact in the workplace and strategies they can adopt to challenge such bias. Women in our workforce At 45%, women are represented in our workforce, with some room for improvement particularly at senior management levels, thus reflecting the social and cultural norms for our industry in the APAC region. ESR strives to address this gender imbalance through policies and procedures for attracting and supporting female candidates and employees. To uphold the Group’s commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, we have a total of three female directors employed at ESR. This forms 60% of the Independent Non-executive Directors at the Board level. People are Our Greatest Asset ESR continues to embrace International Women’s Day (IWD) #BreakTheBias in 2022 to celebrate women who work at ESR. A series of events were successfully held across our local offices in different markets to make this year’s IWD a truly diverse and meaningful celebration. We engaged our staff, both men and women, to share their thoughts on or experiences as working mothers, as well as how they envision to support their colleagues who are women.
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