LAUSANNE, Switzerland -- (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) (NYSE: PM) today becomes the first international company to be certified globally for equal pay by the independent third-party EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. The certification confirms PMI’s commitment to equality and is an important building block on the road to creating an inclusive, gender-balanced workplace. PMI has placed inclusion and diversity at the core of its business strategy as a key enabler for the company’s business transformation from a traditional cigarette manufacturer to a science and technology-minded company with a pipeline of innovative smoke-free products.

“The global EQUAL-SALARY certification demonstrates the great amount of work our colleagues across the world have accomplished in confirming equal pay for equal work throughout PMI worldwide,” said André Calantzopoulos, CEO of PMI. “We need to use this moment to celebrate and continue building an inclusive, gender-balanced organization as we deliver upon our transformation and a smoke-free future.”

The EQUAL-SALARY certification methodology verifies that PMI pays all of its employees, in more than 90 countries worldwide, equally for equal work, regardless of gender. The EQUAL-SALARY process includes a statistical analysis of all salaries of PMI staff worldwide and onsite audits of PMI country affiliates by PWC, the foundation’s entrusted third-party auditor. The auditors talk to management to confirm their commitment to gender pay equality, hold focus groups with employees to understand their perception of that commitment, and review HR-related policies and practices to identify gender bias, recommending corrective actions as needed. This rigorous process spanned the course of 18 months, involving input and commitment from top down and bottom up, demonstrating the company’s commitment to equality.

“By its global character, the certification of Philip Morris International is a major step for pay equality between women and men,” said Véronique Goy Veenhuys, founder and CEO of the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. “That a leading Fortune 500 company makes such a commitment is a strong signal. We are proud of the international scale that PMI’s global certification gives to our cause.”

The accreditation of PMI’s global EQUAL-SALARY certification kicks off a dedicated week of activities, the “Week of Women,” culminating in an immersive day of discussion and learning on International Women’s Day (Friday, March 8) that will center on everyone having their “fair share.” The company-hosted Fair Share communications conference aims to help male employees become gender bilingual and to break down any wall that can exist between colleagues. PMI will also share stories of inspiring women from across the globe throughout the week in a drive to elevate female role models at the company. There are events and networking opportunities planned for the women and men of PMI, all focused on celebrating the benefits of inclusion and diversity. Read more at www.pmi.com/inclusionanddiversity.

NOTES TO EDITOR

Philip Morris International: Building a Smoke-Free Future

Philip Morris International (PMI) is leading a transformation in the tobacco industry to create a smoke-free future and ultimately replace cigarettes with smoke-free products to the benefit of adults who would otherwise continue to smoke, society, the company and its shareholders. PMI is a leading international tobacco company engaged in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smoke-free products and associated electronic devices and accessories, and other nicotine-containing products in markets outside the U.S. PMI is building a future on a new category of smoke-free products that, while not risk-free, are a much better choice than continuing to smoke. Through multidisciplinary capabilities in product development, state-of-the-art facilities and scientific substantiation, PMI aims to ensure that its smoke-free products meet adult consumer preferences and rigorous regulatory requirements. PMI's smoke-free IQOS product portfolio includes heated tobacco and nicotine-containing vapor products. As of Dec. 31, 2018, PMI estimates that approximately 6.6 million adult smokers around the world have already stopped smoking and switched to PMI’s heated tobacco product, which is currently available for sale in 44 markets in key cities or nationwide under the IQOS brand. For more information, see our PMI and PMIScience websites.

EQUAL SALARY Foundation

The EQUAL-SALARY Foundation is an independent non-profit foundation whose objective is to provide companies with a label certifying equal pay for female and male employees. Developed in 2005 in collaboration with the University of Geneva, the EQUAL-SALARY certification was financially supported by the Swiss Confederation through the Federal Office for Gender Equality. Today, it offers companies an effective way to verify their wage policy, thanks to a statistical analysis combined with a qualitative audit. This procedure provides an impartial evaluation system and proposes, if necessary, ways of improving to achieve the objective of equal treatment for women and men in terms of pay and, by extension, a balance in recruitment and promotion practices. For more information about EQUAL-SALARY Foundation