[2022 Yangpyeong Index] Samsung Biologics Operates Working Mom Mentoring and Dad Discussion Sessions

7th Asia Gender Equality Index Award - Minister of Employment and Labor Award Winner

Park Yong, Head of the HR Support Center at Samsung Biologics, is receiving the Minister of Employment and Labor Award from Kwon Ki-seop, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, at the 7th Asia Gender Equality Index Awards Ceremony held on the 19th at Lotte Hotel, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Samsung Biologics received the Minister of Employment and Labor Award at the 7th Asia Gender Equality Index Awards Ceremony. Samsung Biologics continues large-scale hiring, driven by business expansion and increases in orders and production volume. The average annual number of employees increased by 43%, and in 2021, women accounted for 40% of the total workforce (3,959 employees). Among new hires, 40% are women. As the proportion of female executives and department heads rises, female leadership is also expanding. Last year, the percentage of female managers was 23.7%, female middle managers 32.5%, and female executives 21.9%.

Samsung Biologics operates a program called BWC (Bio Women’s Club) to enhance female leadership. It conducts mentoring activities for female employees, pregnant women, and working moms, while holding discussions and lectures on topics such as generational conflict, gender discrimination, and leadership. This is part of efforts to increase job satisfaction among female employees. More than once a year, external experts specializing in female leadership are invited to give special lectures for female employees.

Additionally, to facilitate smooth communication, a mentoring program called ‘Reverse Monitoring’ is conducted between junior and senior employees to support tailored development of female leadership. Activities to prevent reverse discrimination against men at work or home, such as ‘Father School’ and ‘Dad Discussions,’ are also carried out for male employees to foster healthy family values. Through in-house webzines (Binari’s Parenting Diary) and broadcasts (Working Mom and Working Dad dialogues), the company promotes the evolving roles of parents and challenges traditional gender roles, while spreading a corporate culture of gender equality and respect.

In the hiring process, to avoid fairness issues related to gender, applicants are not required to provide information unrelated to job duties, such as gender or physical conditions. New employees are required to complete mutual respect culture training to raise awareness of gender equality.

To balance work and family life, pregnant employees are actively supported with telecommuting and flexible work arrangements. Working hours can be adjusted according to job characteristics or lifestyle. A system for managing individual working hours and vacation plans, along with an optional telecommuting system, has been introduced to help employees improve productivity. Maternal protection rooms are provided in all three plants, and an on-site daycare center is also operated.

Furthermore, various policies such as working hour adjustments, childbirth congratulatory bonuses, parental leave, spouse childbirth leave, infertility leave, and family care leave/vacation are in place. As of 2021, among 44 employees who took parental leave, 25% (11 employees) were men. Starting this year, spouse childbirth leave has been extended to 15 days, and parental leave duration expanded to two years, with encouragement for employees to utilize these leaves. Samsung Biologics has been certified as an excellent family-friendly company for seven consecutive years since 2015.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.