The number of employers cited in the Federal Government's 2010 employer of choice for women list has dropped to 95, down from 111 last year and 99 in 2008.
Compiled by the government's Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA), the list recognises non-government organisations with more than 100 employees whose policies and practices support female staff and benefit the business.
The reduction in the number of companies gaining accreditation this year appears to be evidence of employers' reluctance or inability to focus on diversity initiatives during the economic downturn.
To achieve a citation, employers must:
- offer a minimum of six weeks' paid maternity leave after 12 months of service;
- conduct sex-based-harassment education at least every two years;
- allow female managers to work part-time;
- ensure the percentage of female managers is the same as or greater than the industry average; and
- ensure a pay equity analysis has been undertaken and any gap identified is less than their industry average.
A company's CEO must also be interviewed and needs to demonstrate a strong commitment to equal opportunity initiatives that create positive outcomes for women.
Mairi Steele, acting director of EOWA, says that companies applying for citation "are not only meeting the pre-requisites and criteria, but are publicly declaring their commitment to making their workplaces equitable".
Listed companies have an average of 47.8 per cent female managers and an average pay gap of 12.7 per cent compared to the national average gap of 17.2 per cent.
Some of the initiatives being implemented by those listed include:
- KPMG's Diversity and Inclusion program which took action to increase the number of women at very senior levels of the firm. Women now outnumber men at the manager level - 51 per cent of all managers are women, compared to 45 per cent in 2005.
- American Express' Market Diversity Council for Australia, which was formed at the end of 2009. One of its main priorities is to improve the experience that working parents have when returning to work.
- The University of Sydney's equity-driven "Thompson Fellowship" which addresses the under-representation of women in senior academic positions. To date, eight have been awarded - four in 2009 and four in 2010.
- Ernst & Young holds senior women's leadership forums in each state to maintain and develop the sense of community amongst women. It also has a formal mentoring program for female executive directors, and 53 per cent of participants in its 2009 Leadership Development program were female.
Although many organisations are making progress toward equality, there is still a long way to go, Steele says. "Women still earn less than men, women are still sadly absent from many key decision-making roles in business, women are still sexually harassed and bullied in the workplace and women are still discriminated against based on old fashioned stereotypes and work practices."
