If talking about diversity was all that was needed, we’d have gender equality by now

Another International Women's Day has rolled around, and while it's great to spotlight female achievement, I can't ignore that there's still a long way to go before we achieve gender parity in the workplace.
In recent years, the corporate world has been talking the talk - annual reports and prospectus talk about commitments made to diversity but the reality is that current progress is moving at snail pace. 
I was alarmed at the statistics provided by the World Economic Forum around gender inequality. At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to reach full gender parity. That's 133 years away! 

As a parent of a 15-year-old daughter, the thought that she, and possibly even her children and grandchildren, might never experience gender parity in their lifetimes is totally unacceptable to me. 
The bottom line is we need to do more. We need to accelerate action that will level the playing field for women. 

Actions speak louder than words
 
As a parent, I appreciate that what happens in the family setting can have a profound impact on how our children develop. That includes perceptions around gender roles. 
I've been extremely conscious of modelling behaviour and passing onto my daughter self-belief that women can achieve anything. From a young age, my husband and I have engaged our daughter in discussions about gender equality. 

Children perceive gender biases early. Sport is a great example of some of the first interactions. I remember when my daughter joined a basketball team at age seven as the only girl, and none of the boys passed the ball to her. She felt invisible and expressed her frustration, saying, "It's like they couldn't even see me on the court, that their brains could only see boys." This exclusion resonated with my own experiences in professional settings, where I would often be the only woman in a room, and I experienced the feeling of being overlooked and unheard and left out.

At home, my husband and I continually discuss gender issues with our daughter, sharing stories of strong women in history, and ensuring she spends time with positive female role models in our family and circle of friends. Through these discussions and examples, we hope to instil in her a deep-seated belief that women rightfully hold places of influence and leadership in every aspect of life.

Investing in women is good for business

Throughout my career in the predominantly male-dominated technology sector, I have prioritised recruiting women into the companies I have been part of and seen them thrive. Women perform just as well, if not better, than their male counterparts. Yet in this country, women still earn on average 9.5% less than men. Māori and Pasifika women face even larger pay disparities.

Attracting and retaining female talent requires a rethink of the workplace. For decades, traditional male workplaces didn't consider how women would fit into the environment. For example, we didn't consider how life events like becoming a parent or menopause adversely impact careers. That's changing, but not fast enough.

The World Economic Forum and BlackRock studies reveal that investing in women and workforce diversity not only enhances company financial performance but also leads to more resilient supply chains and better overall employee performance. Companies with inclusive cultures tend to be more innovative and are thus capable of yielding higher productivity and creativity​.

These findings make a compelling business case for gender equality, suggesting that such practices are not only fair but also advantageous for organisational growth and sustainability. 
When companies invest in gender-inclusive policies and leadership, they are not just supporting ethical standards but also enhancing their financial outcomes and operational resilience.

In other words, it's a win-win situation.

But again, enough with talking – the real question is what action do we need to take here?

The action I want to see includes: 

• To advocate and implement policies that enhance support systems for women, including healthcare, education, and protection against violence. 
• Educate others about the importance of gender parity and how it benefits society, not just women.
• Advocate for increased funding for programs that support women's education and entrepreneurship, especially in underserved communities.
• Advocate for government initiatives to include funding for scholarships specifically for women in technology and engineering fields, aiming to reduce the gender gap in these traditionally male-dominated sectors.
• Advocate for policies that promote transparency in pay and progression opportunities.
• Policies within workplaces that reduce the double penalty associated with motherhood and menopause in the workplace. At Kordia we implemented several key initiatives to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

These include

• Analysing and measuring Kordia's gender pay gap and implementing a plan to reduce the gap. As of July 2024, Kordia's pay gap was 15.33%, down from 19.66% the previous year.
• Introducing enhanced parental leave benefits, such as topping up salary to 100% for primary carers for 26 weeks, continuing Kiwi Saver employer contributions while on leave and allowing annual leave to accrue. 
• Promoting a more diverse and inclusive culture through a Diversity and Inclusion Champions employee group, Unconscious Bias training for people managers and celebrating 
• Inclusive hiring practices 
• Implementing stringent policies around bullying and harassment that take into account gender-related harassment. 

As a result, we saw our gender pay gap reduce to 15.33%, down from 19.66% the previous year. However, it is the anecdotal positive feedback from our mid and senior career female employees for me has been the highlight. Hearing first hand how these policies support our women advance their careers has been phenomenal.

By taking deliberate actions today we can pave the way for a more equitable future, ensuring that the next generation of women, including my daughter and hers, will not only dream of parity but will live it. 
This International Women's Day let's commit to turning these aspirations into deliberate actions.

We have waited far too long already, and waiting 133 years is utterly unacceptable.