olam food ingredients (ofi), a global leader in naturally good food & beverage ingredients, is pleased to announce that it has emerged as a national winner in the 2022 United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (UN WEPs) Award for Vietnam under the Leadership Commitment category.

The Leadership Commitment award recognises ofi Vietnam’s commitments towards progressive policies, regulations and practices aimed at promoting gender equality in the workplace and with supply chain partners. This prestigious accolade follows a first runner-up national win at the 2021 UN WEPs Award under the Gender Inclusive Workplace category.

The UN WEPs Award represents recognition of exemplary company efforts for gender equality aligned to the Women’s Empowerment Principles. The WEPs are seven guiding principles providing a roadmap for a more equal, inclusive and sustainable future.

Amit Verma, Country Head, ofi Vietnam said,

“We are thankful for the recognition as winner of UN WEPs award. This is testament of our effort and commitment towards building a diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace. We endeavour to provide opportunities for our colleagues to meet their passion and ambitions, which make our culture unique. We are committed towards building further on this goal and bring long-term benefits for ofi Vietnam.”

With over 25 years of operational experience in Vietnam, ofi continues to grow its portfolio as the domestic producer, processor, and exporter of nuts, spices, and coffee. ofi invests in its people to drive performance and productivity, and achieves this via a three-pronged approach:

• Employee engagement activities

• Diverse and inclusive culture

• Talent development programs

Some of these initiatives include building an inspiring and equal working environment for female employees through personal development programmes aimed at uplifting and strengthening women leadership. The Globally Reaching ofi Women (GROW) employee resource group and the Globally Lifting ofi Women (GLOW) programme provide critical skills for female employees and hone leadership skillsets through various training.

“As ofi continues its trajectory in Vietnam and in the region, the three-pronged employee engagement approach is fundamental in maintaining and supporting a sustainable and stable growth. We remain committed to deliver fresh ideas, ingredients, and solutions to our customers, with a purpose in creating naturally healthy and delicious food and beverage products. To support our goals, purpose, and quality, we must continue to invest in our people, strengthen and improve our policies, empower our employees, and advocate inclusion habits to promote ofi as one of the best places to work in Vietnam,” added Amit Verma, Country Head, ofi Vietnam.

ofi’s visionary HR policies and strategies, leadership endorsements of inclusive practices and other people-centric initiatives are crucial in building a positive and welcoming workplace. This has been reflected through consecutive wins at the Kincentric Best Employers Award from 2019 to 2021, as well as consecutive wins at the HR Asia Best Companies to Work For in Asia from 2018 to 2022.

Usha Kakaria-Cayaux, Chief Human Resources Officer, ofi, commented,

“This latest award is a fantastic achievement from the Vietnam team. It demonstrates the impact of our global and local efforts in promoting Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) practices to encourage a safe and inclusive work environment. We believe that through strong leadership commitment to IDE, we will be able to create a positive workplace that fosters a sense of belonging for every ofi employee globally enabling them to unlock their full potential and passion.”

The UN WEPs Award 2022 is an annual event organised by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and Vietnam Women Entrepreneur Council (VWEC). This year, the 2022 WEPs Awards were supported by the Australian Government, a long-time supporter of equality activities in Vietnam, including UN Women’s work.

Visit https://www.asiapacificwepsawards.org/ to learn more about the UN WEPs Award.