Renault-Nissan Alliance Sets Industry Standards for Gender and Ethnic Diversity

PARIS – October 13, 2011: The Renault-Nissan Alliance's commitment to gender parity and multiculturalism is setting new standards for the global automotive industry, according to company data released at the Women's Forum.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance is a "Premium Partner" of the 2011 Women's Forum for the Economy and Society, which takes place this week in Deauville, France. The annual gathering of international leaders aims to level the playing field for women in industry, academia, politics and society.

Among the findings that Renault and Nissan released during the Women's Forum:

Women comprise 17% of Renault's workforce, up from 10% in 1999 when the Renault-Nissan Alliance began.

Three out Renault's 10-member executive committee are women - the highest percentage of women at the senior executive management level in the global automotive industry.

Women hold 17% of Renault's managerial posts.

At Nissan, women account for 11% of the global workforce.

Globally, women comprise 10% of Nissan manager-level positions and higher, up from 7% in 2008.

In Japan, women account for 6% of Nissan manager-level positions and higher, compared to an average of 3%for Japan's manufacturing sector at large, according to the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Nissan aims to have women comprise 14% of management globally by 2017.

Diversity as Competitive Advantage

Yokohama, Japan-based Nissan already has one of the most diverse teams at the corporate officer level in Japan and among global automakers.

For example, the top 97 positions in Nissan include executives from 13 countries, and nearly half are foreign nationals. These 13 countries are Japan, France, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, United Kingdom and United States.

"Our commitment to diversity is a competitive advantage that helps us better meet expectations of customers around the world - particularly as emerging markets become the engines of the global economy," Ghosn said. "Diversity is also a significant differentiator from our competitors - and therefore it's an excellent tool for recruiting and promoting the most talented and entrepreneurial next-generation leaders."

Renault executives at the Women's Forum said that the Paris-based automaker aims to have women account for 20% of upper management globally by 2013.

Renault has set an annual objective to have women account for 30% of all new engineering and technical positions, as well as 50% of all new sales jobs. Renault aims to have a woman for one out of three candidates in all managerial succession plans.