CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S. — Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) announced on Jan. 31 its commitment to achieve gender parity within its senior leadership structure by 2030, through a partnership with Paradigm for Parity.

ADM is one of the first 100 companies to join the coalition of business leaders, board members and business academics dedicated to addressing the corporate leadership gap.

“We recognize that our success as a company and as an industry relies on developing, creating and growing an inclusive culture and diverse workforce,” said Juan Luciano, chairman and chief executive officer of ADM. “We believe that true innovation arises from having many different perspectives and backgrounds represented at the highest levels of an organization, and we have a comprehensive plan in place to promote inclusion in all roles, at all levels at ADM.

“Our commitment through Paradigm for Parity focuses on improved gender balance in our global leadership forum by 2030. We’re well on our way to meeting this target and are confident that we can achieve not just this goal, but a number of others, to ensure we create and maintain a respectful culture in which all colleagues feel included and empowered.”

Through its partnership with Paradigm for Parity, ADM has committed to:

·       Addressing unconscious bias in the workplace

·       Significantly increasing the number of women in senior operating roles, with the near-term goal of at least 30% representation in all leadership groups

·       Measuring targets and maintaining accountability by providing regular progress reports

·       Basing career progress on business results and performance, rather than physical presence in the office

·       Providing sponsors, not just mentors, to women well positioned for long-term success

To support this commitment ADM is continuing to drive internal efforts focused on hiring processes, wage gap elimination, internal network development and widespread diversity and inclusion engagement at all levels.

The Paradigm for Parity coalition is comprised of CEOs, senior executives, founders, board members and business academics who are committed to achieving a new norm in corporate leadership: one in which women and men have equal power, status and opportunity.

In December 2018, ADM’s Together We Grow — a consortium ADM began in 2016 to focus on educating, recruiting and retaining a more diverse workforce in the agriculture sector — has been recognized with Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2018 Innovations in Diversity Award.

Profiles in Diversity Journal is a quarterly publication working to promote and advancing diversity and inclusion in the corporate, government, nonprofit, STEM and higher education sectors. The award honored 27 corporations, organizations and institutions that have developed innovative solutions in the area of workforce diversity, inclusion and human equity. Together We Grow was one of 10 initiatives recognized with a finalist award this year.