PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips Professional Displays, is a firm industry advocate for promoting equality and gender diversity in the workplace. On March 8 (International Women’s Day), PPDS continues to see positive trends in the number of females pursuing a career in the AV industry, with the number of female employees operating in some of its biggest global sales regions now outnumbering those of males.
Since its inception, PPDS has adopted and acted on a strong global business philosophy that every employee will be treated equally in employment and occupation regardless of personal background, race, gender, nationality, age, sexual preference, or religious belief.
Recent official figures from ISE 2024 have shown a marginal increase in female attendees but PPDS believes more can and should be done.
ISE 2024 recorded attendance numbers of 73,891, of which 24,815 were first-time visitors. Figures show 81.5 percent of those attendees were male, with 16.6 percent female, and 1.9 percent non-binary or preferring not to say.
By comparison, at ISE 2023, there were 58,107 attendees, of which 15,255 were first-time visitors. Figures show 82.6 percent of those were male, with 15 pe cent female.
For International Women’s Day 2024 (March 8)—a day to celebrate the achievements of females and to raise awareness of discrimination, driving gender parity since 1911—PPDS team members have come together to share their views and experiences on how PPDS is embracing diversity in its global teams, and the positive impact being achieved.
“Having joined PPDS reasonably recently, it is wonderful to witness our teams from around the globe come together,” says Nadia Riahi, Sales Manager, Philips Digital Signage, DACH. “Whether at our annual kick off or at events like ISE, everyone is included equally—no matter where they come from, what their position is, or who they are. This is a great enabler for all.”
“Working in the AV industry for nearly two decades, it has been a pleasure to see real positive changes and more inclusivity all around,” adds Ellie East, Key Accounts Manager, UK. “There is still a long way to go, of course, but seeing more women thriving in tech—and greater diversity, in general—will be great inspiration for future generations entering the sector. I’m glad to be a part of it, here at PPDS.”
Martijn van der Woude, VP Global Marketing and Business Development, believes, as a global team, PDDS has a huge range of different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinks about business and life.
“At PPDS, everyone belongs,” he says. “We thrive on their differences, using them to challenge boundaries and celebrating them for the unique advantages they bring. Together we are team PPDS: supportive, innovative, and agile.”
“From the perspective of a global organization, diversity in the workforce is happening quite naturally,” says Vicky Fox, Head of Global Communication. “Fundamentally it’s about bringing in the best people for the job. Their gender or how they choose to identify has no bearing on this process. We as a business work hard to ensure we attract the right candidates and offer the best possible career opportunities and, in a positive shift, increasingly we’re seeing more women applying to join our teams, which is great.”
PPDS is also continuing to strengthen its “local for local” strategy, which is seeing the company extend its manufacturing of displays to support local markets and communities. Not only fulfilling PPDS’ sustainability objectives and ambitions, the strategy is helping to promote careers in AV, with new job opportunities, together with qualified training.
“By choosing to have our displays manufactured more locally, it not only helps us from a sustainability perspective but helps to boost jobs in different communities,” continues Fox. “This, as we are seeing, is helping to raise awareness, drive interest and enable a more diverse mix of people to pursue and begin a career in AV. The results are hugely pleasing. At PPDS, everyone is welcome.”
