economic Security4Women supports the call by the Director of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA), Helen Conway, for organisations to set clear numerical targets for appointing women to leadership and management positions. Ms Conway made this call following the release of a report by KPMG on ASX-listed companies’ response to ASX Corporate Governance Council’s recommendations relating to gender diversity.
“We also agree that gender diversity and gender equality needs to be treated as a business priority, aligning it with and making it a central business strategy. Gender diversity makes sense; men and women working together will deliver the best outcomes” Sally Jope, eS4W Policy Advisor said
economic Security4Women endorses the setting of numerical targets for the appointment of women and putting in place the necessary leadership, focus and accountability to achieve these targets. We also believe as companies increase their representation of women in leadership positions that it will have an impact on the persistent gender wage gap.
”As a National Women’s Alliance we are also encouraged to see the progress outlined in the KPMG report. We are pleased to see that 61% of companies have established a diversity policy; however we would like to see more than 36% of the companies setting measurable objectives for achieving gender diversity.
“We want to see the majority of companies setting measurable objectives, expressed as numerical targets. Without such targets we will not see the improvements necessary to ensure women are represented in leadership and management positions. If gender diversity is not made a central business strategy, our companies will not necessarily be recruiting from the female talent pipeline. And the Nation’s productivity will not benefit as a result.”
Media inquiries:
Kimberly James, Executive Officer: 1 300 918 273
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