In the wake of #MeToo and Time’s Up, this year’s International Women’s Day offered companies the opportunity to show us how they are driving gender equity. We take a look at some of the news and announcements you may have missed from the last week, from New Zealand and around the globe.
1. It is possible to close the gender pay gap. Overnight.
Energy Australia chose IWD18 as the day to announce it will spend $1.2 million to close the gender pay gap in its workforce.
“It’s not right or fair to expect women to have to wait any longer for the pay gap to close,” Managing Director Catherine Tanna said. “So, we’re fixing that right now. ‘Right now’ means that about 350 women at EnergyAustralia will have a pay increase and, in most of these cases, an additional one-off adjustment of about $3,500. About 80 men will also have their pay increased.
If you are a leader who wants to follow Energy Australia’s lead A Human Agency has offered some terrifically practical advice here to identify, analyse and track the gender pay gap. (Perhaps you could send it to your boss, board, CEO?)
2. Children don’t understand or accept the gender pay gap
3. ANZ is leading the way on paid parental leave
ANZ has announced it will be increasing their paid parental leave entitlement from 18 weeks to 26 weeks, almost two years ahead of the government’s mandated changes.
4. New Zealand will host the World Conference on Women in Sport
Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson and Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter today welcomed New Zealand’s successful bid to host the 8th International Working Group on Women in Sport secretariat from 2018 to 2022.
5. Gender equality could unlock US$12 trillion in new market value
Gender equality in the workplace is key to unlocking significant business growth, and driving positive social and environmental impacts, according to Better Leadership, Better World: Women Leading for the Global Goals, released ahead of International Women’s Day
6. Women are more confident and ambitious than ever
To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, PwC is releasing their new research publication Time to talk: What has to change for women at work, as they aim to help answer this challenging question, shape the debate, and help accelerate change – both at PwC and in business at large.
The report shares the views of over 3,600 professional women working in 27 different industry sectors and from over 60 countries around the world. And specifically focuses on women in the pipeline, age 28-40, because it’s at this stage that we start to see female representation gaps widen and the challenges of combining personal and career priorities increase.
A clear message shines through: women are more career confident and ambitious than ever.
7. Of all venture capital, only 4% goes to female founders from VCs
Did we miss something? Let us know if you have an important story to share.