[2024 Women's Forum] Coway, 70% Female Managers... 99% Return Rate from Parental Leave

Gender Equality Index Award | Asia Economy Grand Prize Family-Friendly System Category

At the 9th Asia Gender Equality Index Awards in the Family-Friendly System category, Coway received the 'Asia Economy Representative Award' and is making efforts to ensure continuous employment of women and create a stable long-term work environment. The proportion of women among newly hired employees this year is 44%. In 2023, it recorded about 56%.

Coway is focusing on leadership training to cultivate female managers. The policy is to develop capabilities through education and provide growth opportunities accordingly. As a result, the proportion of female managers in the field management sector currently reaches 70%. Coway is also expanding the employment of female personnel in research and IT fields, which previously had a high proportion of men. Gender distinctions are excluded in the recruitment and treatment evaluation processes, and thorough ability-based personnel management is conducted. To this end, regular wage analysis is performed through a separate monitoring system.

Choi Ji-wook, Head of Human Resources at Coway, is taking a photo after receiving the Asia Economy Representative Award in the Family-Friendly System category at the 9th Asia Gender Equality Index Awards ceremony hosted by Asia Economy on the 30th at Lotte Hotel, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Coway supports work-family balance from a gender equality perspective to establish a stable long-term employment environment. It provides childbirth supplies to families with newborns and operates an in-house daycare center to create an environment where employees can focus on work with peace of mind. Flexible work arrangements such as parental leave and reduced working hours are also encouraged. Since 2018, the PC-OFF system has been operated to promote leaving work on time.

Employee response has been positive. Over the past three years, the return rate of female employees from parental leave has reached 99%. The company also actively encourages male employees to take parental leave. The return rate of male employees from parental leave has achieved 100% for two consecutive years recently, and the rate of those working for more than one year after returning averages 82%.

In addition, Coway operates systems such as family care leave and leave, infertility leave, child school entrance leave, refresh leave, and child tuition support. Coway was selected as a 'Family-Friendly Company' for the fifth consecutive time in 2023 by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and was also selected as an 'Excellent Company for Work-Life Balance Practice' in 2023 by the Ministry of Employment and Labor.