15 January 2024 
Key takeaways
Strong performance compared to peers
How do the 20 represented companies by a CSO nominee perform compared to the global average on selected dimensions?
- 41% higher score on overall DEI
- 119% higher score on Gender
- 21% higher score on Race/Ethnicity
- 10% higher score on Age
- 26% higher score on Disability
Many companies received the highest possible rating (A***)
When considering the performance of industry and country peers, almost all companies have an above medium or medium rating.
Companies represented by a nominee at CSO Awards /24
- Ahold Delhaize
- Bechtle Group
- Beiersdorf
- BNP Paribas CIB
- Danone
- Electrolux
- Handelsbanken
- Henkel
- Ingka Group (IKEA)
- Kering
- L’Oréal
- Louis Vuitton
- Merck
- Munich Re
- Novartis
- Santander Group • Unilever
- Vestas
- Viessmann
- Zurich Insurance
People and the Planet as equally important
Sustainability encompasses both People and the Planet. However, the latter often garners more attention, leading the People side to be overlooked. One reason for this discrepancy stems from historical data availability, which was more readily accessible for the Planet. Today, the situation has evolved. We have the necessary tools and data available to better understand the People component of Sustainability.
Now is the time for change, with the People side taking a central role in any Sustainability conversation. Therefore, in collaboration with futur/io, we are excited to present this special edition for the Davos CSO Awards /24 powered by Denominator.
To celebrate the 20 nominees, we have analyzed the companies represented by a CSO and invite you to explore the insights from a people perspective.
Leading the Planet alongside the People
“CSOs play a pivotal role in advancing sustainability efforts of their companies. It is heartening to witness the companies with a CSO Awards nominee significantly outperforming the global average on the People side of Sustainability. The CSOs are leading their companies not just on the planet, but also the People side”, Anders Rodenberg, CEO of Denominator.
And the winner is…
Consistently outperforming the global average
Across selected DEI dimensions, the 20 companies represented by a CSO nominee significantly outperform the global average. Particularly in the gender dimension, as these companies exceed the global average by 119%. This result suggest a strong commitment to the UN SDG 5: Gender Equality.
Note: Scores goes from 0-100, with 100 as the highest possible score.
Methodology
Denominator applies a holistic approach and measures DEI and social data across 15 dimensions such as Gender, Age, Race/Ethnicity, Disability, Education, Nationality, Sexuality etc. The dimensions consider three levels, including Board, Executive, and Company level across multiple data sources.
Women’s seat at the table
United Nation SDG 5: Gender Equality
Globally, women are underrepresented in top leadership. While not all 20 companies have achieved gender parity, they do exhibit encouraging numbers. When compared to the global benchmark, these companies, on average, have 48% more women in the executive team and 67% more women on boards of directors.
Gender representation in top leadership, % women
Notable highlights
When considering the highest leadership level, the CEOs of three companies stand out. Merck and Handelsbanken are led by women, and Novartis’ CEO represents a racial minority. Additionally, it is noteworthy to highlight the gender parity among CSO nominees.
About CSO Awards
The CSO Awards, an esteemed recognition in the realm of corporate sustainability, celebrates the outstanding contributions of Chief Sustainability Officers (CSOs) who have demonstrated exemplary commitment and leadership in advancing sustainability practices within their organizations. Read about the criteria to be nominated for the CSO Awards.
About Denominator
Denominator is the leading provider of global people data, scores, and ratings with a mission to ensure fact-based transparency to people across organizations, industries, and countries. With the largest Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) and Social database in the world, Denominator provides a common language for understanding people’s performance. By offering granular and holistic DEI and social data, Denominator helps organizations to better understand risk and opportunities. The data empower institutional investors, supply chain managers, and leaders to integrate DEI considerations into decisions and practices.
Denominator covers more than 3,5 million public and private companies across 195+ counties and 85+ industries. The raw data and analytical insights drive the most comprehensive DEI rating models and indexes, creating the global standard for measuring DEI and Social performance.
