EqualVoice is gaining momentum. The network of ten leading Swiss companies aims to make gender equality in business a reality. ISS hosted the first EqualVoice Community Event and spoke to Annabella Bassler, Group CFO of the media group Ringier and founder of EqualVoice.
Annabella Bassler, you founded EqualVoice in 2019 to give women in business greater visibility. What conclusions do you draw after nearly three years?
Studies show that 82 percent of all articles worldwide are about men. In Switzerland, that figure is three out of four articles. That’s exactly where the EqualVoice initiative comes in. EqualVoice’s goal is to make women more visible in the media, give women and men an equal voice, and highlight new role models. At the heart of our initiative is the EqualVoice Factor - an internally developed semantic algorithm that analyzes how often women appear in articles. After just under three years, we can report positive results for Ringier’s media brands in Switzerland. For example, the Handelszeitung started with an EqualVoice Factor of 17 percent and has now reached more than 30 percent.
Ringier operates internationally. Will you be expanding the initiative to other countries as well?
In 2021, we rolled out EqualVoice in Poland through our joint venture with Axel Springer. We are currently working on introducing it at Ringier Serbia, Ringier Hungary, Ringier Romania, and Ringier Slovakia. At the EqualVoice Summit in May 2022, Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer SE, announced that the media and technology group - which operates in 40 countries - will support the EqualVoice initiative and implement the EqualVoice Factor effective immediately. The rollout begins with B.Z.-Berlin, Berlin’s largest tabloid. EqualVoice will gradually be implemented at other news media brands such as BILD and WELT.
EqualVoice has since expanded beyond its original goal and now addresses equality beyond just men and women. Was that planned from the start?
No, that wasn’t the plan. EqualVoice United was launched based on input from our EqualVoice Advisory Board - as an extension of EqualVoice in the media. Our Advisory Board felt that we had already achieved a great deal with EqualVoice in the media industry and that our idea and approach should now also gain traction and acceptance in the business world. After all, not only women but also companies can serve as role models and demonstrate their contributions to gender equality. With EqualVoice United, we launched a network of ten leading Swiss companies in January 2022, with the shared goal of advancing gender equality in Switzerland, fostering dialogue among members, and learning from one another.
ISS Switzerland hosted the first EqualVoice United community event on September 14, 2022. Around 30 guests gathered at ISS headquarters in Zurich Altstetten to discuss diversity, inclusion, and belonging in the workplace. You can read more about the event in the Handelszeitung.
The first EqualVoice United Community Event at ISS featured a high-caliber lineup. How satisfied were you with this premiere?
The first EqualVoice United Community Event at ISS was a complete success. The tour of the building was an exciting way to kick things off. And ISS’s tagline, “People make Places,” was a perfect way to launch the discussion. In his open and honest introductory presentation, André Nauer, CEO of ISS Switzerland, not only highlighted all of ISS’s projects and initiatives but also addressed the challenges the company has faced. Only through an honest exchange can we learn from one another and develop “best practices.” Together, we can make gender equality a reality in Switzerland!
The discussion focused on what diversity, inclusion, and belonging mean in the workplace and what companies can do to ensure that all employees feel treated equally. How can insights from the event be integrated into corporate practice?
Regular dialogue and opportunities for reflection are key. Only by questioning and reflecting on ourselves, our corporate policies, and our culture can we identify blind spots and, for example, counteract unconscious biases. Taking the time to do this is easier said than done. How much time do we really set aside for ongoing dialogue? What drives us, our employees, and our business? Is it clear to all of us that diversity and inclusion are part of this? Not something separate - but part of our strategy.
ISS Switzerland is one of the founding members of the EqualVoice Initiative. How do you view ISS’s commitment?
ISS is very committed and has already implemented many outstanding projects and initiatives. What impresses me most is the strong commitment from ISS’s executive leadership. Diversity is a leadership issue and not something that should be delegated to the HR department. André Nauer sets an exemplary standard in this regard. To me, he’s a role model for other CEOs. He shows that engaging with this topic is rewarding and that viewing diversity as an opportunity has a positive impact on the company’s success.
With 12,000 employees, ISS is one of the largest private employers in Switzerland. How important is ISS to EqualVoice?
It’s great that a company like ISS is involved with EqualVoice United. We can all learn a lot from ISS. Companies from various sectors and industries are active in EqualVoice United. This makes the cross-sector exchange all the more exciting. Gender equality and diversity aren’t problems limited to a specific sector: We’re all called upon to do our best every day to bring about change in the economy and society so that equality becomes a reality.
Currently, 10 companies are members. Will more join? If so, which ones?
We’re already in talks with other companies interested in joining EqualVoice United. We’d love to welcome as many new member companies as possible to EqualVoice United, because together we can achieve more. True to our motto: “Let’s make gender equality a reality”!
About EqualVoice United
EqualVoice United was launched in 2019 by Annabella Bassler, Group CFO of the media company Ringier. The national initiative promotes gender equality in the Swiss economy. ISS Switzerland is a founding member of the initiative, alongside eBay, Mastercard, Migros, Swiss Post, Bank Cler, the Insel Group, Oerlikon, and Sunrise/UPC.