The Importance of Gender Parity in Pandemic Recovery Efforts

Though this year's virtual event looks different than in years past, the World Economic Forum has convened 1,500 industry leaders near the start of each year to help shape global agendas. The Davos Agenda runs from Jan. 25 to Jan. 29, discussing the principles, policies, and partnerships needed for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marking our tenth year of participation, Centene's Chairman, President, and CEO, Michael Neidorff, joined executives and policymakers on Jan. 25 to discuss the importance of gender parity in COVID-19 recovery. Moderated by Mina Al-Oraibi, Editor-In-Chief of The National, the "Placing Gender Parity at the Heart of the Recovery" panel examined disparities in the healthcare sector and how corporate policies can help accelerate gender parity in the workplace.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted women by exacerbating the amount of work needed to be done inside the home and at work. According to research from McKinsey & Company, women make up 39% of global employment but account for 54% of overall job losses during the pandemic. 

At Centene, women make up 75% of our workforce, 64% of supervisory positions are held by women, and 57% of director-level positions and above are held by women. At our highest levels of leadership, we're honored to have Jessica Blume and Lori Robinson serve on our Board of Directors. Jessica Blume, retired Vice Chairman of Deloitte LLP, was recognized as one of Women Inc.'s 2018 Most Influential Corporate Board Directors. Lori Robinson, retired four-star United States Air Force General, was elected to Centene's Board of Directors in October 2019 following a 36-year military career.

Centene believes corporations play a critical role in creating environments that allow people to balance competing priorities. Our enterprise supports gender parity by:

• Building and sustaining a pipeline for diverse talent.
• Giving our diverse workforce tools and opportunities to develop.
• Continually updating our policies and benefits to provide flexibility and support for our employees.

From career development tools to on-site early childhood development centers, enterprise-wide resources can help attain gender parity. Centene understands there is still much to be done, but we are proud to support the evolving needs of our workforce.

Learn how supporting our members, community partners, and our employees help us shape a better world of healthcare, and visit our COVID-19 Resource Center for the latest pandemic-related initiatives, programs, and benefits. The first portion of "Placing Gender Parity at the Heart of the Recovery" is available for public viewing here.