The fourth annual YWCA Equal Pay Awards is now officially open and YWCA Auckland CEO, Monica Briggs, is taking the opportunity to encourage employers to look harder at what they can do to alleviate the stubborn gender pay gap in New Zealand today.
“This has been a landmark year for wage equality in New Zealand and we want to see this progress continue,” says Briggs in a media release. Awards entries have opened in the wake of the Government’s historic decision to give 55,000 care workers, who are predominantly female, a 43 percent pay rise from 1 July this year.
“This decision demonstrates the Government has been prepared to put its money where its mouth is and lead by example when it comes to addressing wage equality. But we must all play our part and this includes employers and the workers themselves,” she says.
Since its inaugural campaign in 2014, the YWCA Equal Pay Awards has gone from strength to strength, as it positions its winners as thought leaders, creating a platform to inform and inspire other employers about what equal pay success looks like.
Organisations like ANZ, Simpson Grierson, IAG, Westpac, Bell Gully, SKYCITY, BNZ and even not-for-profits such as Youthtown, have all demonstrated their commitment to addressing equal pay, presenting themselves employers of choice in a tight labour market.
“This awards programme isn’t just about recognition and accolades, it’s about promoting change and showcasing the solutions. Past winners of these awards will tell you there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to addressing equal pay. That’s why thought leadership is part of the solution, as we look to the innovative approach others have taken to close pay gaps and create fairer workplaces for the hardworking women of New Zealand.
“As we move into our fourth annual YWCA Equal Pay Awards, we are excited about the growing consciousness around this issue and welcome the opportunity to hear more inspiring stories from progressive, Kiwi organisations that are tackling the issue,” she says.
According to the latest New Zealand Income Survey June 2016, there is a 14 percent gender pay gap in New Zealand. This is based on the average hourly earnings between male and female workers.
Recent Government research titled, Empirical Evidence of the Gender Pay Gap in New Zealand, also revealed that there is a difference in earnings of men and women that can’t be explained by differences in education, occupation and industry, or part-time work.
Up to 80 percent of the pay gap is caused by factors like unconscious and conscious bias that impacts negatively on women’s recruitment and pay advancement.
“The entry process into the YWCA Equal Pay Awards alone presents an opportunity for organisations to evaluate their own policies and processes around gender equality. It is a methodology or check-list that roadmaps some of the many measures adopted to achieve a more gender inclusive and fair workplace.
“We encourage employers to engage in the awards programme. They may be pleasantly surprised and put themselves forward for entry, or discover policies and practices that need to be implemented if they are to address an issue that is becoming harder and harder to ignore.”
Entries for the YWCA Equal Pay Awards are now open, with a close date of Friday, 15th September 2017.
To learn more about the YWCA Equal Pay Awards 2017, entry details and criteria
