Calendars have flipped to April, which means that in addition to longer days and rising temps, we’re closing the chapter on Women’s History Month. However, we’re here to remind you that gender equality is not about a single day, or a single month—this year’s theme for International Women’s Day makes it clear that the Press for Progress is an ongoing call to drive change in ourselves, in our workplaces, and in our communities. The “hype” may have passed, but the need has not.
Three Ways to Continue the Conversation on Gender Equality
1. Recognize Equal Pay Day.
Photo by Sora Shimazaki
April 10, 2018 marks the date in 2018 that a female needs to work to in the new year to make the same amount of an equivalent male’s 2017 income. The National Committee on Pay Equity cites that “based on the median earnings of all full-time, year-round workers in 2016, women now make 80.5 cents for every dollar men make, a change from 79.6 cents the previous year. Women’s earnings in 2016 were $41,557, while men’s were $51,640.” Looking more broadly at numbers from the 2017 Global Gender Gap Report, we saw that in the United States, men made an average of $69,901 annually while women earned $45,287.
It is also important to note that while the average Equal Pay Day for all women is on April 10th—black women will recognize this day on August 7th, Native women on September 27th, and Latina women on November 1st (source: AAUW.org).
Learn more about what you can do and keep the conversation alive at your workplace—urging an assessment of payment practices and more transparent salary information.
2. Join the Paradigm for Parity.
The Paradigm for Parity is focused on gender parity by 2030 and “is comprised of business leaders, board members and academics committed to addressing the corporate leadership gender gap. The coalition is differentiated by three factors: (1) a commitment from the top, (2) a clear plan of action that drives impact, and (3) mutual accountability for measurable results. It is the first organization of its kind to outline a specific set of actions that, when implemented concurrently, will accelerate the pace of achieving gender parity.” Not only does the Paradigm offer a 5-Point Action Plan, but also a clear toolkit for action.
Ask: has your company joined the coalition?
3. Identify cultural drivers.
Image from: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/gender-equality-research
One of the companies who has committed to the Paradigm for Parity is Accenture, which also released a new research report in March focused on the influential factors that increase the advancement of women in an organization. These factors fell into three categories: Bold Leadership, Comprehensive Action and an Empowering Environment. Of the top 40 factors, 14 rose to the top as key cultural drivers. Among them are a diversity target or goal that is shared outside the organization, a company women’s network, and the freedom for employees to be creative and innovative.
Take a look—how does your organization stack up?
The most exciting thing about creating a list like this is the recognition that there is an ongoing focus on gender equality—doing the research, determining the best practices, and demanding action. The work is constantly happening behind the scenes, and we can all be part of bringing it to the forefront of conversation and our minds. Keep up the good work!
Not sure where to begin? Gild Collective can help your organization assess where it is currently, and put tools and practices in place to move the needle on the wage gap, gender parity, and cultural drivers.