Morocco’s OCP Group, a world leader in the phosphate fertilizer market, received the first level of the Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) certification for promoting gender equality.
OCP announced the news today in a press release, saying that the certification is the global standard for “assessing corporate performance in terms of gender equality.”
The certification recognizes the creation of “equal career” opportunities for both female and male employees within the working environment.
The fertilizer group explained that the first level of certification called “Assess” is based on “broad criteria including the gender balance within the core functions,” such as recruitment, promotion policies, pay equity, as well as inclusiveness.
OCP considers receiving the first level of certification as an “important acknowledgment” of the group’s commitment to ensure equality and diversity for its employees.
OCP’s branches include 20,000 employees of different nationalities, which the group says contribute to its success.
The EDGE assessment initiative was launched at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in 2011.
The certification seeks to accelerate and certify gender and intersectional equity in the workplace, pushing for a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous society.
“OCP Group is one of the largest private employers in Morocco and is at the forefront of gender diversity, inclusion, and equal career opportunities,” the OCP group said.
Expressing satisfaction with the certification, OCP’s Chief Transformation Officer Nadia Fassi Fehri said that “our Group is very proud of its achievement of this EDGE certification.”
She emphasized that the certification reflects OCP’s “long standing commitment” to promoting equal opportunity and diversity.
“We are convinced that these actions contribute to the Group’s strong performance in the long-term,” she said.
The certification confirms the group’s status as a “reference Moroccan company” in Africa and the mining sector in general, Fassi Fehri said.
Last year, the group announced a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank to support its process of obtaining EDGE certification.
IFC’s Acting Director for the Maghreb Georges Joseph Ghorra expressed satisfaction with supporting OCP Group in the certification process.
“[We] hope that this will encourage other Moroccan companies to commit to gender equality,” the IFC official said.
OCP recalled that it has been prioritizing women’s inclusion and diversity, which contributes to its transformation and growth strategy.
“The Group’s actions in favor of gender equality are not limited to OCP employees but also extend to the African continent, with solidarity actions, educational support, medical campaigns, as well as participation in the empowerment and inclusion of women, particularly in the rural world,” OCP’s statement added.
Through its initiatives, the OCP supports women farmers in different programs, including the Al Moutmir initiative.
In 2018, OCP launched the Al Moutmir initiative that aims to support farmers in becoming key contributors to ensuring sustainable agriculture across Africa.
OCP also helps women farmers in several countries, including Madagascar, Gambia, and Senegal.
According to their statement, the group is also helping young students through “its Lycée d’Excellence, while a number of women-led start-ups have been supported through Impulse, the start-up acceleration program developed by the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P).”
The group concluded its statement, emphasizing that it is currently working to support the creation of a Chair of Diversity and Inclusion at the UM6P.
The initiative will launch a training program to promote development of female leadership in Africa.
