A hundred UK businesses have been recognised for their “incredible” work and achievements on gender equity at work by Women in Work (WiW) in a new report launched today.
Employers in the top WiW100 include Accenture, Diageo, Estée Lauder, Sainsbury’s and Vodafone.
The list celebrates top performers for a range of achievements such as equal board representation, work on the gender pay gap, and definitive published parental policies.
The WiW100 is part of the WiW Gender Equity Measure (GEM) report 2024, which is a yearly review of 400 of the largest companies in the UK.
Modern aspirations
Authors of the GEM report said it aims to set the standard for aspirational modern workplaces that work for everyone.
To make the top 100, businesses had to meet three measures:
– meaningful representation of women on boards (above 33 percent);
– narrow the gender pay gap (mean or median hourly pay gap under 15 percent)
– transparent and public parental leave policies
Gold standard
Fifty of the WiW100 companies achieved 40 percent or more women on the board, a pay gap of under 10 percent and public parental policies.
Four organisations from the food and beverage sector “set the gold standard”: Britvic, C&C Group, Diageo and Tate & Lyle.
These employers have a gender pay gap of less than 1 percent; over 50 percent women on their boards; and transparent and public parental leave policies.
Mariella Frostrup, WiW co-founder and household name, told conference delegates at the WiW Summit 2024: “The WiW100 celebrates companies that are doing incredible stuff.”
She said: “My ideal is that in a decade’s time, there won’t be any need for talk of gender inequality, because we’ll have finally achieved the golden goal of an equitable and supportive workplace for all.
“We know the business case – companies with inclusive cultures are 63 percent more likely to boost profitability and those with more women on their boards are 25 percent more likely to outperform financially.
“Yet for 12 years after having their first child the gender pay gap for women widens, and the global gender pensions gap stands at 30-40 percent across the world.
“At WiW our goal is not to call out companies who are underperforming, but to call in those who are doing it well. The WiW100 proves that it is possible to have a workplace that works for all. It is not only morally vital, but central to business success.”
The WiW100 and the GEM report are being launched at the WiW Summit in London today.
