El Palacio de Hierro renews its commitment towards equality in the workplace
What: El Palacio de Hierro renews its commitment to UN Women's Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), implementing concrete initiatives like Women to Women mentoring while achieving its tenth consecutive ESR Distinction.
Why it is important: This dual achievement demonstrates how retailers can successfully integrate international standards with practical workplace initiatives, creating a measurable impact on gender equality whilst maintaining strong business performance.
El Palacio de Hierro has reinforced its commitment to gender equality through a symbolic renewal of its adherence to the UN Women's Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs). The company, which first joined the initiative in 2022, aims to align its operations with international gender equality standards in the corporate sector. Maridelia Saucedo Wolf, Director of Wellness, Inclusion and Social Responsibility, presented the company's progress, highlighting internal equality policies, inclusion committees, and programmes such as Women to Women, which focuses on professional development through women-to-women mentoring. The company's renewed commitment to WEPs reflects its recognition of the importance of gender equity and its dedication to fostering a fair, inclusive, and equitable environment for all team members. This announcement coincides with El Palacio de Hierro receiving the ESR 2025 Distinction from Cemefi and AliaRSE, marking its tenth consecutive year as a Socially Responsible Company, acknowledging its sustained commitment to corporate ethics, environmental stewardship, workplace conditions, and community engagement.
IADS Notes: El Palacio de Hierro's commitment to gender equality and social responsibility comes amid a period of significant transformation and success. According to Modaes in February 2025, the company achieved impressive results with 11% revenue growth to $3.2 billion in 2024, demonstrating the effectiveness of its comprehensive strategy. This momentum continued as Modaes reported in April 2025 that the company secured 12% revenue growth and a 30% operating profit increase in Q1 2025, validating its balanced approach to business and social responsibility. The company's excellence was further recognised when Fashion Network announced in January 2025 that El Palacio de Hierro had been named the world's second-best department store. A significant milestone in the company's evolution came in May 2025, as reported by Press Release, with the appointment of Eléonore de Boysson as its first female CEO, exemplifying its commitment to gender equality at the highest level. This commitment to social responsibility was formally acknowledged in June 2025, when ExpokNews reported the company's achievement of its tenth consecutive ESR Distinction, underlining its sustained dedication to ethical business practices and social impact.
