Initiative

Initiatives on gender equality in the hardware retail sector

Summary of the initiative

Merkur has become the Slovenian market leader in sales of home products and DIY, electro-installation materials, apparatuses and appliances, machinery and tools; ferrous and non-ferrous metal products, and industrial items for professional use.

Addressing gender roles: Merkur uses standards of work which are uniform for all employees. Equal treatment for men and women is used on all levels. Out of a total of 1,753 employees, 49% are women and 51% are men. The team is gender-balanced and each individual worker has an equal part in the process of work and decision-making according to his/her working post.

Promoting women in decision-making: women are equal to men counterparts at their work. Management of retail trade is 100% represented by women (Merkur’s retail trade employs 1,094 employees). From 23 head managers of trade centres in Slovenia, 10 are women or 43%. The most exposed working places, represented by women are: director of retail trade, director of finances, director of accounting and controlling, director of procurement, and the director of marketing. 

Supporting work-life balance: both sexes have equal opportunities. Merkur tries to balance work and free time on an equal basis. Balancing work and free time is a daily task, because the work process in retail trade has to be adjusted to customers’ needs.

Tackling the gender pay gap: Merkur has a system of job classification, which includes roles, standards of responsibilities and competences, which are not defined according to gender but according to workplace.