C2629.MR24.K27 - WOMEN EMPLOYMENT IN SENIOR POSITIONS
KPI NAME
Percentage of women employees in senior positions in WFP
NEW OR EXISTING KPI
New KPI
INDICATOR CODE
C2629.MR24.K27
RESPONSIBLE DIVISION
HRM
MR OUTPUT
2.4. People management and duty of care
PURPOSE
The purpose of this KPI is to measure WFP’s progress toward gender parity by tracking the proportion of women employed in senior positions, defined as staff at P5 level and above (including D‑level and equivalent senior leadership roles). This indicator monitors women’s representation in decision‑making positions and provides insight into the organization’s ability to attract, promote, and retain diverse women in leadership
Monitoring this KPI supports WFP’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse workforce, strengthening leadership pipelines, and ensuring that women are equally represented and contribute to shaping organizational direction. In line with UN parity standards, gender parity is understood as a representation between 47% and 53%, with an aspirational goal of achieving a 50/50 balance
CALCULATION FORMULA
Result KPI = ( Σ senior level women employees)/(Σ number of senior level employees ) X100
For the calculation above, the following parameters apply:
Refers to international professional staff
Senior level refers to P5 and above
CALCULATION STEPS
Identify the total number of employees who are women at the senior level
Identify the total number of employees at the senior level
Divide the number of employees who are women by the total number of employees and multiply by 100 to obtain the % of women at the senior level
DATA SOURCE
Data is available from HR Analytics Dashboard
DATA COLLECTION METHOD
Data is collected by downloading from HR Master Data and Corporate Systems
AUTOMATION
Automated
BASELINE VALUE
43%
ASSUMPTIONS
Sustained Organizational Commitment: WFP leadership continues prioritizing gender parity and diversity in senior leadership roles as part of its people management and inclusion strategy
Accurate Gender‑Disaggregated Data: Accurate and disaggregated employee data by gender for all senior positions (P5 and above) is available and reliably captured and maintained in the corporate systems
Supportive Policies and Enabling Measures: WFP maintains policies, recruitment practices, and leadership development pathways that support women’s progression into senior roles across all functional and geographic areas
Contextual Flexibility: Country Offices and Regional Bureaux can adapt workforce planning and recruitment strategies in line with local labour markets, cultural contexts, security considerations, and talent availability
LIMITATIONS
Operational and Resource Constraints: Budget reductions, limited staffing flexibility, and competing operational demands may restrict opportunities to recruit or promote women into senior leadership roles
Cultural and Behavioural Barriers: In some operating contexts, prevailing social norms or labour market dynamics may limit the availability or mobility of qualified women candidates, particularly for high‑visibility roles
Contextual and Geographic Challenges: Many senior posts are located in hardship or high‑risk duty stations where security concerns, mobility requirements, or difficult living conditions may disproportionately affect women’s ability to accept or remain in such assignments
Pipeline Limitations: Gender imbalances at mid‑level professional grades (e.g., P3–P4) can limit the availability of qualified women for promotion into P5+ roles, slowing organizational progress toward parity
Data Quality and Reporting Gaps: Delays or inconsistencies in updating HR records for temporary, acting, or special leadership assignments may affect the accuracy and completeness of of gender‑disaggregated data at senior levels