Company: SAP Business Women's Network
Company Description: The SAP Business Women's Network is an employee-driven network that helps women, and their allies advance their careers and the company's goals. By sharing professional insights, best practices, education, and experience, we support each other to develop skills and career advancing opportunities to drive SAP's success and create a more equitable future for employees, partners and customers.
Nomination Category: Achievement Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Achievement in Developing and Promoting Women
 Nomination Title: SAP SE, Walldorf, Germany: SAP Business Women's Network
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the nominated achievements since July 1 of 2022, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions, provide them in the appropriate spaces below:
- Briefly describe the nominated organization: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 194 words used.
SAP SE is a leading German multinational software company that specializes in enterprise software for managing business operations and customer relations. As the largest non-American software company by revenue and the third largest publicly traded software company globally, SAP has a significant global presence with over 100,000 employees in 180+ countries as of 2023. SAP's Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) strategy is focused on Workforce Diversity, Workplace Inclusion, and Marketplace Leadership, achieving 35.2% women in the workforce and 29.7% in management by 2023.
The company formally supports 13 Employee Network Groups (ENGs), involving over 40,000 employees in 50 countries. SAP Business Women’s Network (BWN), founded in 2007, is the largest ENG at SAP, growing from 14 chapters with 3,200 members in 2012 to 97 chapters with over 19,000 members in 2023. The network’s 16.7% growth from 2022 to 2023 reflects SAP’s commitment to expanding its impact, further supported by 179 male and female sponsors, contributing to its success in advancing women in leadership. This consistent growth and expansion highlight the effectiveness of SAP's initiatives in driving inclusion, it’s growth in partnerships and the success of our long-term strategy.
- Outline the organization's achievements since the beginning of last year that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 242 words used.
BWN's commitment to D&I has driven internal transformation and earned external recognition, reinforcing its reputation as a leader in building inclusive workplaces. Key accomplishments include:
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Global Engagement, Mentorship and Allyship: Organized 540+ events worldwide, with 50+ focusing on intersectionality and allyship, such as the HeForShe campaign to engage men in supporting gender equality. The 5th Annual BWN Global Leadership Summit was held in Paris with 150+ attendees present, including customers and partners across the region.
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Strategic Partnerships and Engagement: Partnered with Deloitte, EY, AWS, and Merck to host several global events and panels. Collaborated with SAP’s Corporate Responsibility, Haus des Stiftens, Amazon, and EY for Pro-Bono Consultancy for women-owned businesses.
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Professional Development: Helped promote and deliver programs such as EmpowHer, a targeted career coaching and the Women to Watch program, supporting 50+ female talents to move management roles. Held g
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 242 words used.
Our achievements stand out for their scale and impact, as well as comprehensive approach spanning global engagement, strategic partnerships, supportive policies, and professional development. In 2023, SAP earned 55 D&I awards, many linked to women’s development initiatives, showcasing our commitment to an inclusive workplace.
- SAP’s ERGs employee engagement is over 50% higher than competitors like Google (40k vs 20k). This rising participation has boosted mentorship within the BWN (40% to 55%), highlighting its success in building allyship and a stronger community.
- BWN’s strategic partnerships, external forums, and events led to a 500% growth in LinkedIn engagement and recognition.
- SAP’s external hiring of women increased from 38.2% to 41.6%, reflecting BWN's continued advocacy and collaboration with SAP’s GDIO on initiatives like women referral bonuses, STEM programs, and the fair pay initiative, which allows 99.8% of employees to view their pay range, enhancing transparency and addressing compensation gaps.
- Programs like Female Talents have contributed to SAP’s 3rd place ranking on Forbes’ Best Companies for Women and a workforce composition of 35.2% women. Compared to competitors like Google (33.9%), Microsoft (31.7%), and Oracle (31.7%), SAP excels in female retention and equitable practices.
- The rise in women in management by 0.4% and in executive positions by 1.1% has been supported by programs such as EmpowHer and Women to Watch, which has advanced over 250 women to management. This steady improvement demonstrates BWN’s dedication to advancing female leadership.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 82 words used.
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