Women in leadership roles are changing the face of business in Poland
Women in Poland are strengthening their professional positions and increasingly realising their leadership roles, and Polish businesses are doing more and more to equalise the situation of women and men. According to data from the CEIDG [the Central Register and Information on Economic Activity] at the beginning of 2023, there are 25 per cent of women on the boards of Polish companies[1]. At Żabka Group, they make up almost half of the Management Board, managing key business areas such as finance, HR or foreign expansion. Ladies also make up the majority – 65 per cent – among franchisees cooperating with Żabka, running stores all over Poland. For comparison, the percentage of women among all owners of sole proprietorships in Poland is around 34 per cent.[2]
Żabka Group is an organisation that, by developing a culture of equal opportunities, actively supports women. They can develop and successfully combine their professional and private lives – only in 2023, 273 female employees were promoted at Żabka. Currently, ladies account for 40.3 per cent of all employees at the company. They are in charge of such important areas as finance, legal department, logistics, human resources department, price analysis department, sales or adaptation. As of the beginning of 2024, 155 women are employed in managerial and executive positions – an increase of nearly 10 per cent compared to 2023. Żabka was one of the first organisations in the Polish market to achieve parity on the Management Board. Currently, due to changes in the Group’s management structure introduced as of February this year, three out of seven members of the Board are women (for comparison, in Q1 2023, on the boards of commercial companies in Poland, traditionally understood as companies, business women accounted for 25 per cent[3]).
– Gender balance in employment is very important to us. We have built an organisation that supports women and gives them the same opportunities for development and promotion as men, thanks to which they have a real impact on the shape of the business and social environment of our company. More and more women are using their competencies and potential to achieve responsible managerial and leadership positions within the Żabka Group – says Jolanta Bańczerowska, Member of the Management Board, Chief People Officer.
An important step in supporting women’s professional development was Żabka’s implementation of an equal pay policy, thus recognising that women and men must be treated and paid equally. Żabka is the first Polish company with EQUAL SALARY certification, indicating equal pay in the organisation regardless of gender. As part of its support for female employees, the company also runs a mentoring programme, ‘Super Babes from Żabka’, which aims to promote female energy in business and strengthen female leaders in the organisation.
The woman at the helm of Żabka International
It was Anna Grabowska, in the role of Executive Vice-President and Managing Director, who was entrusted with the extremely responsible task of managing a new organisational unit established at the beginning of February this year – Żabka International. It will provide operational support for the Group’s entities in foreign markets. Anna Grabowska has unique experience in retail management in areas such as consumer strategies, supplier relations, marketing communications and ESG, among others. Her knowledge of consumer needs and modern convenience helped build Żabka’s success in Poland. During her career path, she has also dealt with markets outside Poland, which is an asset in building new markets for the organisation.
Women develop their own business with Żabka
According to data from the CEIDG [the Central Register and Information on Economic Activity]in early 2023, approximately 1 million women are owners of actively operating sole proprietorships in Poland[4]. In total, women account for approx. 34% of all owners of sole proprietorships in Poland[5]. Among the franchisees cooperating with Żabka, the percentage of women is almost twice as high – ladies account for 65 per cent of the more than 8,800 entrepreneurs running stores under the chain’s banner.
– Women perform well as entrepreneurs because of their perseverance, creativity, but also their diligence. The report ‘Businesswoman of the Year: Polish Women and Entrepreneurship 2023’ shows that as many as 45 per cent of female respondents work more than 40 hours a week and 41 per cent devote more time to their professional duties than a year ago. Polish female entrepreneurs want to create inclusive teams: 75 per cent of respondents would hire a person over 50 and 58 per cent. – a person with a disability or neuroatypical condition. Women are constantly proving how ambitious and courageous they are – one in four respondents declares that they would like to develop their company internationally –says Olga Kozierowska, creator of Sukces Pisany Szminką and President of the WłączeniPlus Foundation.
Żabka’s 5700 female franchisees are successfully developing their businesses in both metropolitan areas and small towns across Poland. Almost half of them are women aged between 26 and 39. And nearly 40 per cent of the franchisees come from towns with a population of up to 50,000.
Żabka supports women in various ways to broaden their knowledge and acquire new competencies in the area of entrepreneurship. Regardless of their age, professional experience or background, it creates space for development and confidence building. It also helps them daily to run businesses under its banner.
[1] Women in Business in Poland 2023 – Data and Statistics | by Transparent Data | Blog Transparent Data | Medium
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
Responsibility Report 2023