Balance for better

Our ultimate priority is developing the most talented people, regardless of their gender, background or life preferences.

“As a company, we benefit from this. If all companies commit to this diversity, the whole of society will benefit," says Nancy McKinstry, CEO, and Chairman of Wolters Kluwer.

On this International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the political, cultural, economic and social achievements of women, we honor the campaign’s 2019 theme, #BalanceforBetter. The global push for gender equality and inclusion has taken the world by storm in the last couple of years, given the social and business imperative to expand opportunity. This year, we would like to acknowledge and reflect on how women have shaped Wolters Kluwer and contributed to advancing society through technology. To observe International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month for our US colleagues, means to further our mission towards gender parity and inclusion in the workplace. We are proud of our continued commitment to inclusivity and equality between the sexes; our innovative and diverse workforce is essential to delivering solutions that move society forward.

Practices such as ensuring women and diverse talent have access to growth opportunities and receive the consideration they deserve in selection procedures has been a key focus for McKinstry since taking the top job at Wolters Kluwer in 2003. “We notice that women are exceptionally good at teamwork and at leading diverse teams. This is a not-to-be-underestimated reason to cultivate female talent better. Diversity fosters diversity.” said Nancy McKinstry, in a recent interview with Het Financieele Dagblad. McKinstry is also a member of the European Roundtable of Industrialists and joined other European leaders in the organization’s current Embrace Diversity campaign.

Focusing on women and inclusion pays off. McKinsey research has found that $12 trillion could be added to global GDP by 2025 by advancing women’s equality. Unfortunately, when it comes to corporate ranks, large companies in the Netherlands still lag behind where women board members are concerned, according to the Female Board Index 2018. Of the 90 companies listed, only six percent of total board members are women. We are proud that Wolters Kluwer is one of the five companies to meet the Dutch government’s requirement of 30 percent women board members.

Thinking ahead

The contributions of women at Wolters Kluwer is acknowledged across the board, and we proactively work to provide equitable career development and growth. In 2018, 67 percent of our divisional CEOs and 48 percent of our employees were women. Our continued work on gender equality and inclusion also saw us ranked as one of America’s Best Employers for Women in 2018, and one of America’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2019, both from Forbes.

As a global company, having a diverse workforce from different backgrounds, nationalities, age, expertise, and talent is central to our work. Without our diversity, we cannot reflect the diversity of our customers and the communities in which we live and work.

We pride ourselves in providing deep domain knowledge, and expert solutions that allow professionals to impact the lives of millions of people – a feat that would not be possible without our 18,600 valued team members all over the world, half of whom are women. Wolters Kluwer is also committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which address global economic, social, and environmental challenges the world faces. Through our value creation model, we focus on making an impact towards Good Health and Well-Being; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; and Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

With a 182-year legacy and a portfolio that represents thousands of customers worldwide, including 93 percent of the Fortune 500 companies, Wolters Kluwer is committed to helping professionals improve the way they do business and solve complex problems with confidence in an ever-changing world.

We aim to create equal opportunities for all employees regardless of personal background, race, gender, nationality, age, sexual orientation, physical disability, or religion.

Learn about our diverse workforce and career opportunities at Wolters Kluwer.