Leaders from governments, private sector companies and trade unions around the world have pledged to take concrete action towards closing the gender pay gap by 2030.
The global commitments were made at the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) Pledging event held during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
Angel Gurría, secretary-general at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said that gender pay gaps were not only unfair on those who suffered them, but they were also detrimental to the economies of individual countries.
“If you do not have equal pay, productivity suffers, competitiveness suffers and the economy at large suffers," he said. "It is in our power to make an immediate improvement in the quality of life of hundreds of millions of women and their families if we succeed in delivering equal pay for men and women."
To this end, governments have now pledged to implement legislation that prohibits inequitable remuneration in the public and private sectors. They have also promised to establish National Commissions that monitor compliance to equal remuneration laws and launch national awareness campaigns on the importance of equal pay.
According to the European Sting, the president of Iceland, H.E. Guoni Th. Johannesson, committed to implement the country’s law on Equal Pay Certification. This legislation prohibits discriminatory practices based on gender and requires that employees of both genders who are working for the same employer be paid equal wages and enjoy equal terms of employment.
The International Trade Union Confederation likewise pledged to raise awareness of advocacy campaigns that aim to achieve equal pay through investment in childcare, establishing minimum standard of living levels, and guaranteeing social protection to care workers.
The International Organisation of Employers, meanwhile, promised to strengthen action in promoting gender equality and non-discriminatory good practices as part of its commitment to preserve and defend the International Labour Organization’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, while paying special attention to gender-based discrimination in pay.
Civil society organisations such as Save the Children and CIVICUS also said they would support their members in reducing the wage gap and conduct internal pay policy reviews to ensure they were enabling equity between men and women within their own organisations.
Global companies including IKEA, Deloitte, Pepsi Co, Nestle and Novartis AG likewise committed to review their hiring and promotional practices in order to reduce unconscious bias and structural barriers. They also pledged to identify and promote best practice to ensure fairness for all workers and to implement policies that prohibited discrimination based on gender.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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Leaders from governments, private sector companies and trade unions around the world have pledged to take concrete action towards closing the gender pay gap by 2030.
The global commitments were made at the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) Pledging event held during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
Angel Gurría, secretary-general at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, said that gender pay gaps were not only unfair on those who suffered them, but they were also detrimental to the economies of individual countries.
“If you do not have equal pay, productivity suffers, competitiveness suffers and the economy at large suffers," he said. "It is in our power to make an immediate improvement in the quality of life of hundreds of millions of women and their families if we succeed in delivering equal pay for men and women."
To this end, governments have now pledged to implement legislation that prohibits inequitable remuneration in the public and private sectors. They have also promised to establish National Commissions that monitor compliance to equal remuneration laws and launch national awareness campaigns on the importance of equal pay.
According to the European Sting, the president of Iceland, H.E. Guoni Th. Johannesson, committed to implement the country’s law on Equal Pay Certification. This legislation prohibits discriminatory practices based on gender and requires that employees of both genders who are working for the same employer be paid equal wages and enjoy equal terms of employment.
The International Trade Union Confederation likewise pledged to raise awareness of advocacy campaigns that aim to achieve equal pay through investment in childcare, establishing minimum standard of living levels, and guaranteeing social protection to care workers.
The International Organisation of Employers, meanwhile, promised to strengthen action in promoting gender equality and non-discriminatory good practices as part of its commitment to preserve and defend the International Labour Organization’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, while paying special attention to gender-based discrimination in pay.
Civil society organisations such as Save the Children and CIVICUS also said they would support their members in reducing the wage gap and conduct internal pay policy reviews to ensure they were enabling equity between men and women within their own organisations.
Global companies including IKEA, Deloitte, Pepsi Co, Nestle and Novartis AG likewise committed to review their hiring and promotional practices in order to reduce unconscious bias and structural barriers. They also pledged to identify and promote best practice to ensure fairness for all workers and to implement policies that prohibited discrimination based on gender.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
OTHER ARTICLES THAT MAY INTEREST YOU
Gender pay gap exists at 78% of UK organisations
Significant pay gap still a fact of life for black women in the US
