EDGE - the Leading Certification for Gender Equality - Launches US-based Effort to Expand Reach and Impact Across the Americas

ZUG, Switzerland, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- EDGE, the leading global certification standard for gender equality in organizations, today announced the expansion of its work in the United States and the appointment of Patricia Milligan as CEO of EDGE Americas. Under the stewardship of Milligan, a renowned business leader and visionary in the advancement of gender equality, EDGE Americas will broaden its engagement with organizations across the United States and Americas region to foster equal career opportunities and inclusive policies for women and men in the workplace. 

"There has never been a more important time to expand EDGE's transformational approach and proven methodology, to help more organizations achieve gender equality at work," said Aniela Unguresan, Co-founder, EDGE Certified Foundation. "As an innovator and leader in driving organizational change, Pat Milligan brings deep experience, practical know-how, and unwavering passion to help EDGE make gender equality a reality in the workplace for more women and men globally."

"I believe deeply that companies must address both gender and racial inequalities head on, if they want to emerge from this crisis stronger, more agile and resilient than before," said Patricia Milligan, CEO, EDGE Americas. "The organizational benefits of gender equal, diverse and inclusive policies are clear, and the demand by investors, job seekers, and consumers continues to grow. I'm thrilled to lead EDGE Americas to help strengthen organizations and drive business growth and progress by advancing workplace equality, diversity and inclusivity."

Launched more than a decade ago at the World Economic Forum, EDGE Certification accelerates progress toward gender equality for organizations. EDGE utilizes a world-class methodology to deliver a holistic roadmap for organizations that is proven to enhance performance, improve workplace culture and attract, retain, develop, and motivate talent. EDGE also meets organizations where they are, with a tailored and scalable approach to build on each organization's baseline.

EDGE Certification has a diverse customer base consisting of 200 large organizations in 37 countries across five continents, representing 24 different industries. These include global industry leaders such as IKEA, Capgemini, L'Oréal, Accenture SAP and Pfizer, alongside leading financial institutions and multilateral development agencies such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, central banks such as the European Central Bank and UN agencies such as UNICEF.

"Being EDGE certified had a strategic value for us at IKEA Switzerland," said Simona Scarpaleggia, Global Head of "The Future of our Work," INGKA Group at IKEA, co-chair UN High Level Panel for Women's Economic Empowerment. "We not only had a measure and a benchmark of what we had achieved in terms of gender equity, but we also got essential elements to draw our roadmap for the years to come. Today gender equity is both embedded in the company strategy and a living reality."

EDGE Certification is a tiered system with three levels of certification ? ASSESS, MOVE and LEAD ? to enable advancement and recognition of organizations in different stages of their journey towards a gender equal workplace. EDGE engages with organizations to assess and measure four key areas: 1) gender balance at all levels; 2) pay equity; 3) the effectiveness of policies and practices to ensure equitable career flows for men and women; and 4) an inclusive culture. 

Milligan had multiple leadership roles at Mercer Consulting over her 15-year tenure, and was most recently the Global Leader of Mercer's Multinational Client Group and the architect of Mercer's When Women Thrive program. She also served as President of the North America Region, President of Mercer's Global Talent business, and Chief Marketing and Sales Officer. Before joining Mercer, Milligan led Mellon HR Services and held various leadership roles at Towers Perrin. Throughout her career, she has pioneered and delivered innovative work in the areas of people strategy, talent management and workforce engagement. Her work and thought leadership focuses on leading through disruption and workplace gender equity.

Milligan is an advisor to the World Economic Forum and has been recognized by Crain's New York Business in the publication's annual list of Notable Women in Accounting and Consulting (2018) and by Consulting Magazine as one of the nation's top 25 consultants (2012), and named among Women Worth Watching (2010) by Diversity Journal.

About EDGE

EDGE is the leading global assessment methodology and business certification standard for gender equality. Launched at the World Economic Forum in 2011, EDGE has been designed to help companies not only create an optimal workplace for women and men, but also benefit from it. EDGE stands for Economic Dividends for Gender Equality and is distinguished by its rigor and focus on business impact. For more information, visit: https://edge-cert.org.

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SOURCE EDGE Strategy