Commenting on today’s research showing women with children face a greater gender pay gap than those without, Melanie Field, Executive Director of Strategy and Policy at the EHRC said:
This report adds to the wealth of evidence showing that, after over 40 years of legislation banning sex discrimination at work and in pay, women continue to face barriers that hold them back at work. We simply cannot ignore the scale of the disadvantages that working women face.
Girls and women outperform males at every stage in education, but time after time this success is not translated into rewards in the workplace. Even at the outset of their careers, women are paid less than men, and this continues through their working lives. It is unacceptable in modern Britain that three in four working mothers say they experience pregnancy and maternity discrimination each year, with many feeling forced to leave their jobs. Nor is it acceptable that working part-time is poorly paid and takes women off the career ladder.
Our inquiry into board appointment practices in FTSE 350 companies found that too many relied on personal networks, and ‘chemistry and fit’, selecting people just like the existing role holders, rather than the best person for the job.
We want government to encourage companies to build a strong pipeline of women for top jobs through a new national target for 50% of all new appointments to senior and executive management level positions in the FTSE 350 to be women, as well as requiring companies to report on pay of part-time workers. We want employers to develop their pipeline of female talent and to ensure their appointment practices are fair and transparent so that they appoint the best person for the job and increase the proportion of women in senior roles
