The Government has today launched an online calculator to assist businesses to take meaningful action to drive down the gender pay gap.
Minister for Women, Nicola Grigg said women are paid, on average, 8.2% less than men and this gap has barely moved since 2017.
“Which is why reducing it is one of my key priorities as Minister for Women,” Ms Grigg says.
The Gender Pay Gap Calculator toolkit is now live on the Ministry for Women’s website.
The toolkit has been informed by working with businesses and organisations including Spark, ANZ, the NZ Law Society and Tonkin + Taylor, to make sure it is user-friendly and has a common methodology, said the Minister.
“It has also been shaped and road-tested by many others across the country including Transpower, the Port of Auckland, National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women, the Diversity Agenda, Champions for Change and Global Women.”
“I am so grateful for this invaluable input – it demonstrates a real commitment from New Zealand employers to drive this thing down. Pay gaps are complex, nuanced and have been around since women entered the workforce. This is an excellent first step to eradicating the stubborn 8.2% pay gap.
“There are significant benefits to understanding and addressing pay gaps, including increased productivity, so our Government is taking action.”
Businesses who use the tool will have access to the following:
- A pay gap calculator (that calculates the pay gap using a common methodology);
- A downloadable action plan, tailored to individual organisations;
- Guidance material to support them throughout the process.
“Many businesses are taking steps to improve their gender pay gaps, and so I encourage all businesses to be courageous and calculate their gaps. This is not about casting judgement on those who have wider gender pay gaps but, instead, is a useful tool that encourages organisations to look beyond the numbers,” said Ms Griggs.
“I want to thank Champions for Change, and the many employers and staff who have helped develop this comprehensive package.”
Champions for Change, a strategy of Global Women, is a collective of over 80 of New Zealand’s CEOs and Chairs, with the aim of accelerating inclusive and diverse leadership in their combined workforce of 170,000 people.
Champions for Change Co-Chair, Roger Chair said the tool was a “positive step forward”. Fellow Co-Chair, Antonia Watson said measurement and reporting of gender pay gaps was an “important part of the Champions’ progress”.
“It is my strong desire for this to be a continued partnership with business as we make further developments to the toolkit overtime, including considering ways to address ethnic pay gaps,” Ms Grigg says.
The link to the website can be accessed here: www.women.govt.nz/gpgtoolkit.
