We are a Company that has invested in our digital capabilities for many years. Today, the intersection of social media, digital marketing, and e-commerce is integral to our brands’ strategies, and we are creating a digital-first mindset throughout the Company. In the past year, we have strengthened our social media capabilities, gained share in earned media value, and grown our brands’ influencer partnerships. We also re-launched our corporate website, ELCompanies.com, digitally showcasing our rich history and exceptional portfolio of brands.
As an organization made up of great brands and great people, fostering an innovative, collaborative, and creative culture has always been a top priority. We place the highest importance on providing ongoing development opportunities and offering recognition and advancement across our workforce – from our newest hires to our most seasoned executives. As a learning organization, we encourage employees to take smart risks and celebrate the potential of big ideas. We are proud to have created an environment in which leaders are dedicated to building future leaders, and the opportunities for education and shared insights are plentiful.
Again this year, we received numerous honors and awards that recognize our commitment to our employees. For example, we earned a coveted spot on Indeed’s “50 Best Places to Work in the Fortune 500”; were named one of the “Top Companies to Work for in the UAE” by the Great Place to Work Institute UAE; and in China, were presented with the “China Top Employer 2017” certification by the Top Employers Institute. We were also recognized in Mexico as one of “The Places Everyone Wants to Work” for the 10th consecutive year by Expansión Magazine, and in the U.K. & Ireland, The Estée Lauder Companies was ranked as one of the Sunday Times’ “30 Best Big Companies to Work For.”
We continue to follow in our founder’s footsteps to empower women at all levels of the Company. We recently underscored this effort by supporting the Equal Pay Act; a pledge that demonstrates our deep and ongoing commitment to wage parity. Additionally, this year we launched our newest Employee Resource Group, the Women's Leadership Network, which supports, encourages, and engages women across the Company to reach their full potential both personally and professionally. We are an active participant in the 30% Club, an organization committed to achieving a minimum of 30 percent of women on public company boards, sharing the belief that gender balance on boards encourages better leadership. At the start of the current fiscal 2018 year, about 84 percent of our global workforce is female, nearly 50 percent of U.S.-based senior positions are held by women, and women constitute 40 percent of our Board of Directors.
This year, and every year, we strive to be a welcoming and inclusive workplace for all of our diverse talent, encompassing a wide range of identities, points of view, and orientations. In December 2016, The Estée Lauder Companies achieved a perfect 100 percent score on the 2017 Corporate Equality Index, the most distinguished U.S. benchmarking report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign. In satisfying all the criteria in the 2017 Corporate Equality Index, the Company is recognized among "Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality."
