Briefings for Business nº7
Publication date: 6 March 2012
This Briefing for Business is intended for senior managers in global and national companies, especially those producing and retailing food and fast-moving consumer goods.
Although many companies already do much to protect human rights in their operations and value chains, there is more that they can and must do in furthering gender equality. As well as the compelling ethical case for protecting and supporting women’s rights, there are significant practical benefits for companies from addressing gender equality, including improved productivity, reduced staff turnover and access to a wider pool of talented staff at all levels of the organization.
Key recommendations
- Companies need to analyze and report on their current gender equality status, by reporting gender disaggregated information across job positions, pay, geography and career progression;
- Ensure that you understand why gender differences exist in the boardroom, the workplace and across the entire value chain, and put in place a remedial plan;
- Enforce ILO conventions and local laws within your own and your suppliers’ operations;
- Pay a living wage: women tend to be concentrated in the lowest-paid sections of the workforce.
