Gender Equality in business: what does good look like?
As part of my role leading brand and marketing for the leadership development organisation, Shine For Women, I explored which companies were out there taking genuine action to improve gender equality either within their own four walls, across their industry and marketplace and/or out into wider society.
The following report, written in 2023, outlines 100 Companies Taking Positive Action on Gender Equality across ten sectors, with opportunities and recommendations for other organisations to follow throughout.
In this exploration, we unveil both global commonalities, such as the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM fields, and unique challenges prevalent in certain industries. We acknowledge that tangible actions taken by companies lead to faster progress.
It's important to note that the companies referenced in this report are works in progress and by no means perfect. Gender equality remains an ongoing journey, and no industry has fully achieved it. Despite their imperfections, we hope this report provides insight into the nuanced obstacles women encounter in various sectors and offers inspiration and ideas for implementing change within your own company.
All examples within this report have been gathered online, typically from each company's gender pay gap or ESG reporting, or on dedicated pages on their websites. While we believe there are likely many other companies taking positive steps globally, an immediate observation is that they should communicate these initiatives more clearly, widely, and loudly to attract talent, especially women.
It's crucial to recognise that establishing employee resource groups (ERGs), although integral to any Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy, is not a singular solution to the gender gap. Substantial, meaningful evolution of 'the system,' endorsed at the highest levels, is what truly makes a difference.
Our findings can be categorized into three layers of challenges to gender equality:
Workplace – impacting women employees
Marketplace – affecting women customers
Community – influencing women in the broader world
The highlighted companies are actively addressing one or more of these challenges. However, it's essential to understand that everything presented in this report gains complexity when viewed through an intersectional lens. We intend to explore this intersectionality more deeply in future reports to shed light on the additional setbacks to gender equality faced by millions of individuals who identify as women.
Chapter 1: Finance
Finance stands as one of the oldest industries in existence, characterised by a wealth of tradition and systems that are resistant to change. The presence of more women in leadership roles emerges as a catalyst for accelerating progress and infusing a human touch into business practices. Beyond altruism, it's a sound business strategy; for instance, executive teams with a gender balance are 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability.
Challenges to Gender Equality in the Workplace:
Despite near equal representation of women and men in Finance globally, a significant drop-off of mid-senior level women contributes to the pay gap. In 2020, women held only 20% of Executive Committee roles in Finance globally, according to Oliver Wyman consultancy.
While many companies have set targets, not all are on track to meet them.
1. Royal Bank of Canada (North America & Europe)
Building the pipeline of future leaders through the RBC Capital Markets Women’s Advisory Program, focusing on professional development for women undergraduates interested in Finance. A focus on Global Investment Banking and Global Markets where the largest gender gap exists.
2. Citibank (North America)
Partnering with Npower to attract non-traditional candidates for Finance careers through the 40 by 22 initiative, resulting in 125 hires of entry-level non-white women with fintech skills.
3. Rothschild & Vanguard (Global)
Investing in the development of mid-senior women through leadership development programmes to build confidence and influence, addressing the point at which women statistically start to stall or leave their Finance careers.
Marketplace challenges to gender equality.
Limited investment in women-founded businesses, with research suggesting that only 2% of US-based VC-backed startups founded solely by women in 2021.
A lack of women in consumer-facing management adversely affects women customers. A report by The World Bank in Turkey found that banks with women managers receive 25% of loan applications from women, while banks with only male managers saw this number drop to 9%. It also found that when loan officers are mostly men, women receive $14,000 lower than average loans in comparison to male applicants.
4. Capital One (North America)
Supporting all women employees, including those in branches, where 75% of workers are women, with initiatives such as family care days and scheduling flexibility. In-branch benefits to this standard are unusual within the industry.
5. Natwest (UK)
Training employees to support women in business, founders and entrepreneurs through a team of 1000 ‘Women in Business Specialists’.
6. Coutts (UK)
Creating a fund for investment and tangible advice into women-founded businesses through the UK Enterprise Fund (UKEF), in order to break through the barriers many entrepreneurs face.
Community challenges to gender equality
Existing stereotypes around women, men, and personal finances contribute to a financial literacy gap and a lack of confidence in women.
More women than men live in poverty globally, with UN Women estimating that in 2022, 388 million women and girls were living in poverty compared to 372 million men and boys.
7. Starling Bank (UK)
Changing the dialogue around women and personal finance through the #MakeMoneyEqual campaign and a free image library that breaks stereotypes.
8. JP Morgan Chase (Global)
Improving financial health for girls and women worldwide through the Women on the Move initiative, providing tools and education in the community. 6-18 year olds were included as part of their mission to equip the next generation with financial literacy, wellbeing and stability.
9. Goldman Sachs (Global)
Offering free-to-access online practical business courses for all women worldwide through the 10,000 Women program.
10. BlackRock (Global)
Collaborating with the UN to promote gender lens investing, directing more capital into companies addressing women’s needs across education, finance, childcare and health.
The opportunity: As targets and deadlines approach, companies should prioritise building confidence and influence in mid-senior level women, supporting them through the 'endless juggle' phase of their lives. This ensures their retention within the organisation, propelling them to influential positions, and ultimately achieving gender balance. The resulting ripple effect contributes to the economic empowerment of women globally.
Chapter 2: Law
The legal industry, steeped in tradition and legacy, often grapples with an entrenched 'old boys' club' culture that proves resistant to change. To usher in systemic evolution and ensure justice prevails globally, it is imperative to take deliberate actions to integrate women throughout the legal pipeline, particularly at the top.
Challenges to Gender Equality in the Workplace:
In Law, a distinct drop-off in mid-senior women occurs, notably at the 'Partner' level, where the industry average of women is a mere 21%. This departure from the cross-industry norm can be attributed to several specific reasons:
The Partner role historically hasn't accommodated part-time work, posing challenges for many working mothers.
Networking opportunities for those working part-time or flexibly are limited, impacting sponsorship and new business opportunities that are crucial for Partner promotions.
A billable client-service culture often sidelines part-time lawyers for high-profile cases, impacting their path to partnership.
1. Mills Reeve (Global)
Conducts interactive talks and workshops showcasing successful women Partners, emphasising flexible/part-time success stories.
2. Ropes & Gray (US)
Established The Joan D. Fuller Professional Development grant to fund activities facilitating women's progression to Partner level. Fuller was the first woman Partner at the firm back in 1973 and in 2023, 32% of Partners are now women, against an industry average of 21%.
3. Baker McKenzie (Global)
Supports job-share arrangements to empower Partners to work flexibly, aligning with clients, the company, and personal needs.
4. Latham & Watkins (Global)
Abolished pro-rating year-end bonuses for paid leave to prevent penalising parents and ensure fair compensation for all partners. A way to encourage men to take parental leave, thus levelling the playing field.
5. YLaw (Canada)
Introduced First Trimester Leave, providing fully paid leave for mothers and partners caring for pregnant others experiencing health issues.
6. Greenberg Traurig (Global)
Launched the G2G program, a business development initiative for high-potential women shareholders, fostering growth into strong leaders who can upsell to clients and across business functions.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Legal services being client-centric, client expectations around presenteeism and availability can disproportionately impact women navigating work-life balance challenges.
The judiciary, positioned at the top of the ladder, requires specific qualifications, leading to gender imbalances in a country's legal judgements.
7. Simmons and Simmons (Global)
Collaborates with clients through its ERG, TNOC (The Number One Club), to identify opportunities for joint efforts in improving gender equality.
8. WilmerHale (US)
Ensures visibility for women at senior levels by actively presenting women lawyers for high-profile cases, contributing to significant achievements. Over 100 of their female lawyers have trial experience and 66% of the 30 largest investigatory matters handled by the firm from 2020 and 2021 were led or co-led by women. Many are now judges.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Certain areas of crime and law disproportionately affect women, emphasising the need for expertise and understanding when working with female clients. 1 in 3 women across the globe have experienced physical/sexual violence at least once in their lifetime.
9. Sanford Heisler Sharp (US)
Specialises in gender discrimination cases, securing landmark verdicts and settlements for women facing workplace discrimination. This includes the largest jury verdict in US history against Novartis at $253 million.
10. Travers Smith (UK)
Established DARA (the Domestic Abuse Response Alliance) which is the largest pro bono advocacy service for women victims of domestic violence, providing crucial legal support, particularly in light of government cuts to legal aid budgets.
The Opportunity: To rectify the pipeline at the Partner level, it is crucial for companies to ensure women reach authoritative positions. A combination of tangible benefits, evolving standards for all employees, and building women's confidence and influence at this career juncture can lead to increased female representation at Partner and beyond. In some instances, this progression extends to becoming a judge, fostering greater gender equality within judicial systems and delivering improved outcomes for women globally.
Chapter 3: Construction, Manufacturing & Engineering
In the realms of Construction, Manufacturing, and Engineering, the presence of women remains significantly lower throughout the professional pipeline. For instance, in the UK, only 11% of the Construction workforce comprises women, plummeting to a mere 1% for on-site workers. Traditionally perceived as male-dominated, these sectors are now facing a global labour shortage, underscoring the imperative for women to contribute to meet escalating demands.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
The underrepresentation of girls in STEM fields compounds the gender gap, reinforced by stereotypical perceptions that these roles are exclusively for men. Moreover, the universal drop-off of mid-senior level women exacerbates the pay gap.
There exist fundamental barriers for women, even at a basic level, particularly for ‘on-site’ workers.
1. Northrup Grumman (Global)
Invests in STEM opportunities for girls, focusing on addressing significant gaps in the pipeline, especially in cyber activities where leadership is the least equal. The company, led by a female Chair, CEO, and President, defies industry norms.
2. Wates (UK)
Addresses the 'drop-off' before, during, and after by supporting 125 women through personal development programs, aligning with their 125th-anniversary celebration.
3. Willmott Dixon (UK)
Invests in additional support for mid-senior level women through a programme that sends women to the University of Cambridge Business School to cultivate future leaders.
4. General Motors (US)
Established an industry-leading programme, the GM Women’s Retail network, to attract and develop women car dealers. This approach to increasing women in leadership positions has positively impacted sales.
5. Sir Robert McAlpine (UK)
Champions flexible working, actively promoting its benefits through research and initiatives, advocating for flexible working rights for all employees. Their “Flexonomics: The economic and fiscal logic of flexible working” report has proven the positive impact on people, business and society of flexible working, and finds it could create over 50,000 jobs and generate £55bn to the UK economy. This has been used to successfully lobby the UK government.
6. Network Rail (UK)
Provides mobile wellbeing units for women Construction workers, addressing the lack of basic facilities for women on-site.
7. Tideway (UK)
Offers PPE designed for women across cultures and life stages, recognizing diverse needs, including those observing the Hijab or Burqa.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
The drive towards net-zero emissions demands new skills, necessitating gender equality for innovation, and, to increase the number of workers within the sector full stop. Particularly in the UK, 1.8 million additional engineers are estimated to meet the country's future demands.
8. Stantec (Global)
Adopts the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index as a sustainability-linked loan metric, channeling savings towards activities influencing the environment and society positively. The first company on Earth to take this approach.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Stereotypes surrounding men and women in these sectors perpetuate a lack of visibility and role models for women.
9. NASA (US)
Inspires girls and women with success stories in space science, addressing the need for diverse representation in the field. This follows the last minute termination of the first-ever all woman space mission when Nasa realised they didn’t have a suitable spacesuit for the female body. In 2025 the Artemis mission will see the first woman to walk on the moon, if they can fix her equipment…
10. Bechtel (UK)
Engages men in the conversation through 'Men Advocating Real Change' workshops, fostering reflection on behaviour and impact. The company is the first in the industry to be awarded the international ISO standard in Diversity & Inclusion.
The Opportunity: While actions are underway to reshape the image and infrastructure of construction, manufacturing and engineering, achieving gender parity at the top and closing the pay gap will require sustained effort. Collaboration, with companies partnering with industry bodies and associations, can expedite progress. The collective impact will not only create more employment opportunities for women globally but also ensure future-proofed jobs for an entire career in sectors facing significant demand for workers.
Chapter 4: Healthcare
In the healthcare industry, where the stakes for gender equality are paramount, it is a matter of life or death for many girls and women. Historically, the lower representation of women in decision-making roles has resulted in a gender gap in research, treatment, and cures for diseases and conditions, impacting women's overall quality of life. The positive shift is evident as the industry recognises and acts upon the unique healthcare needs of women, moving away from the default 'male' perspective.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Unlike other STEM-led fields, healthcare boasts over 60% women among new employees in the US. But a drop-off at the mid-senior level, with only 30% in C-Suite roles, remains the primary driver of the pay gap.
1. Abbott (North America)
Implements entry-level programs to encourage diverse talent, particularly non-white women because the 30% of women in C-Suite roles within healthcare drops to only 4% for this demographic. The Freedom 2 Save program supports employees paying off college loans, addressing the disproportionate debt burden non-white students are found to carry.
2. Roche (Europe, Middle East & Africa)
Invests in coaching for mid-senior level women, fostering personal and professional development.
3. Johnson & Johnson (North America)
Launched Re-Ignite, a paid returners program, to bring back lost women STEM talent with transferrable skills.
4. Biosense Webster (North America)
Introduced the Growth and Leadership Opportunity for Women in Electrophysiology (GLOWE) programme for women, focusing on solving major health problems unique to women, particularly in cardiac disorders.
5. Maven Health (Global)
Provides personalised care for women globally through Maven Clinic, the largest clinic for women’s and family health, founded and staffed predominantly by women.
6. Highlighting Companies Supporting Women’s Reproductive Health
Acknowledging companies extending employee benefits to include travel expenses for reproductive care, putting pressure on governments and society to change policies. These include WPP, Warner Brothers, Disney, Meta, Ford, Patagonia, Google, Adobe, Vox Media, PWC, Danone and Walmart.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Historical oversight of the female body in medicine, including research biases and underrepresentation in technology roles, poses challenges. As an example, women are 70% more likely to have depression, but lab tests for brain disorders are 5 X more likely to be on males.
Femtech is on track to grow to USD$1.07 trillion by 2026 but gains only 3% of total funding in overall healthtech. Technology will accelerate innovation for everyone, but only if specialist technical roles are filled by more women.
7. GSK (Global)
Commits to diversity in clinical trials, ensuring over 75% have a clear demographic plan, contributing to improved treatments for women.
8. Elvie (Global)
Focuses on tech and innovation catering to the specific needs of the female body, addressing the historical neglect of women’s health.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Women's health is impacted by poverty globally, and even in developed countries, underfunding and negative legislative barriers persist.
9. Reckitt (Global)
Utilises brand influence to protect women's health in the developing world, such as their work in Thailand to prevent STIs in school-aged girls which simultaneously saved the government an estimated £122m a year.
10. Bupa (Global)
Challenges women employees to drive their sustainability agenda through the Eco-Disruptive Global Innovation Challenge, contributing to solving health problems and future-proofing the planet.
The Opportunity: Companies should again prioritise building confidence and influence in mid-senior level women to support them through 'the endless juggle.' Increased representation of women at the highest levels will not only ensure gender balance within the industry but also serve as a catalyst for investment and improvement in girls’ and women’s health globally.
Chapter 5: Travel & Tourism
The Travel and Tourism industry, with its diverse roles and specialisations, faces a significant gender imbalance. While more women are in low-paid service positions, men dominate senior management and technical roles such as pilots and sea farers, leading to a skewed overall gender pay gap. COVID-19 has exacerbated these challenges, prompting a massive recruitment drive to meet fresh demand.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Despite providing 1 in 10 jobs globally and being predominantly made up of women (54%), the Travel and Tourism industry exhibits a gender pay gap, with women earning 15% less than men, largely due to the concentration of women in lower-paid roles.
The overall disparity of women in STEM contributes to a lack of representation in technological roles, including leadership positions in online travel companies.
Some roles require time away from home or hours that aren’t compatible with standard childcare, which has typically held women back.
1. United Airlines (US)
Established a flight school (Aviate Academy) to train more women pilots, aiming for 50% of their 10,000 new pilot intake to be women and non-white individuals.
2. Renfe (Saudi Arabia)
Launched a recruitment scheme for women train drivers in Saudi Arabia, challenging traditional gender roles. 2018 was a turning point in history where women were first allowed to drive cars. Only three years later, Renfe sought to recruit 30 women train drivers, and 28,000 submitted applications! The participation of women in the Saudi workforce has doubled in the last 5 years to 33%, with many women adopting typically ‘male’ jobs.
3. Wyndham (US)
Implemented the 'Own the Room' initiative to support and advance women-owned hotels through financial education, training, and community.
4. Carnival (Global)
Introduced inclusive benefits to enable more women to work at sea, such as antenatal care on board ships and a five year window to return to work after starting a family; addressing the gender divide in fleet roles.
5. Heathrow (UK)
Appointed a gender-balanced leadership team for their high-profile runway extension project, including a woman CEO.
6. Hilton (Global)
Established a Board of Future Leaders to prepare high-potential talent, ensuring gender balance at the leadership level and driving innovation earlier in the pipeline.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
COVID-19 disproportionately impacted women in the Travel and Tourism industry, leading to job losses and unstable reemployment conditions. In the US, 53.4% of job losses in the sector were to women. This may seem equal, however there are more women in the lowest-paid roles, and so many extra losses are unreported. Existing inequalities have been worsened.
7. Easyjet (UK)
Strives to increase the number of women pilots, launching campaigns featuring positive role models such as working motthers, and investing in personal development for returning teams.
8. AirBnb (Global)
Empowers women around the world to create thriving businesses by renting out properties on the platform, contributing to economic empowerment. More women hosts on the site have 5* reviews than men.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Safety concerns for women working in Travel have deepened in recent years.
9. GoLightly (Global)
Offers safe travel for women through invite-only vacation rentals, providing assurance for both customers and hosts.
10. Uber (Australia)
Empowers women drivers to select passengers, introducing the 'Women Rider Preference' option to choose only female and non-binary passengers.
The Opportunity: Despite the complexity faced by Travel organisations, the current moment presents an opportunity to "build back better." Evolving policies and processes to better support women can open up the talent pool, address the talent shortage, and reset corporate cultures. Fixing the top of the pipeline in Travel and Tourism, a significant global employer for women, has the potential to impact the overall global gender pay gap by moving more women into higher-paid positions.
Chapter 6: FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) / Consumer Packaged Goods
FMCG/CPG companies bear a responsibility for a larger population as their operations impact employees, customers, and communities where they source, farm, and manufacture products. Gender equality, as one of the 17 UN Sustainable Goals, is part of a comprehensive programme for these companies, given the broad scope of their operations.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Gender equality challenges persist throughout the entire supply chain.
The pay gap is influenced by the drop-off of mid-senior women and the concentration of men in higher-paid STEM roles.
1. L’Oréal (Global)
Fondation L’Oréal empowers women and girls in STEM through initiatives supporting scientific research, inclusive beauty, and climate action. Programmes like 'Women in Science' and 'Young Talents' have supported thousands of women scientists globally.
2. Nomad Foods (Global)
Implemented a programme to build confidence in mid-senior women, resulting in increased confidence, impact awareness, and empowerment.
3. Shiseido (Japan)
Provides benefits to support working parents, offering onsite and subsidized childcare facilities since 2003. This has contributed to a workforce of 80% women and 58.3% women in leadership positions globally.
4. William Grant (UK)
Implements programmes to build confidence in women in technical roles, aiming to increase the number of women in senior leadership within distilleries.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Despite women making 70-80% of consumer purchasing decisions in FMCG, corporate decisions are not proportionately represented.
5. Diageo (Global)
Alongside WPP, Meta, Google, Mars, Microsoft, Adobe, Kantar, Ogilvy and Mondelez, Diageo participates in the Unstereotype Alliance, critiquing advertising to ensure modern and progressive portrayals of women across brands and products.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Women are needed in the supply chain to meet growing demand, where it’s estimated that the world needs to produce 50% more food by 2050, and closing the gender gap alone could increase yields by 30%.
And companies are being pressured by governments to become more sustainable across various measures, not just gender equality.
6. Proctor & Gamble (Thailand)
Challenges norms in the supply chain by predominantly employing women in their Bangkok factory. 70% of leadership are women, 50% of them working mothers.
7. Pepsico (Global)
Addresses social and environmental issues with the 'She Feeds the World' initiative, providing education, resources, and economic support to over 5 million female farmers and their families.
8. Unilever (Global)
Empowers women in the value retail chain through training, financial advice, and coaching for micro-distributors, resulting in increased sales and thriving businesses. Over 20,000 retailers in Kenya have enrolled and on average are finding a monthly sales increase of 20%. 54% of them are women.
9. Coca Cola (Global)
Empowers millions of women through the 5by20 initiative, focusing on training in STEM skills, providing financial advice, and investing in female-founded startups.
10. Tata (India)
Used the Jaago Re campaign for Tata Tea to advance women's progress in Indian society, addressing issues like domestic violence and gender sensitisation programmes. The 2014 ‘Power of 49’ campaign increased sales of tea by 14%, and the intention to vote in Indian women by 300%.
The Opportunity: While FMCG companies have progress to make in achieving gender equality within their organisations and supply chains, there's an opportunity to create efficiencies of effort. Meaningful initiatives can empower both corporate women and those 'on the ground,' achieving ethical and financial results simultaneously. This approach aligns with the broader goals of the UN Sustainable Development Goals while maintaining consumer satisfaction and healthy profits.
Chapter 7: Tech
Gender equality in the technology sector is impacted by the underrepresentation of women in STEM careers and the rapid evolution of roles and skillsets. The lack of senior women in technology not only contributes to gender pay gaps but also affects societal attitudes. Re-entry into the field after a hiatus is challenging, particularly for caregivers.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
A lower number of girls entering STEM careers results in a drop-off of women in leadership positions. Tech is a first-choice career for just 3% of girls, and only 5% of leaders are women.
Parental leave support is shorter in the US, where a significant number of tech employees are based.
The industry is associated with a 'bro culture,' leading to uncomfortable work environments, harassment, and assault. A 2021 report found that 72% of women in Tech have worked for a company with this kind of culture. Only 41% of men agreed.
1. Cisco (Global)
The Women Rock-IT program educates and inspires girls about tech careers, connecting them with women leaders in the field.
2. Peak 6 (US)
A female-founded fintech investment company with internship programs exclusively for women to address the gender imbalance in tech and trading.
3. Microsoft (Global)
The TeachHer program supports girls and women across the pipeline with tracks for entry-level, returners, and professionals seeking career advancement.
4. IBM (US)
Advocates for family leave policies and established a coalition of companies and trade associations to shape government policies. This went before US Congress and the White House.
5. Spotify (Global)
Introduced a Work From Anywhere policy, resulting in increased diversity in leadership positions. They partnered with Stockholm School of Economics to research the impact of this approach, which found that between 2019 and 2021, in the US the percentage of women in leadership increased from 25% to 42%.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Technology is an extremely fast-paced industry where any time out, such as starting a family, can lead to outdated skills.
It’s predicted there will be a global tech talent shortage of 4.3 million by 2030.
6. Salesforce (Global)
The Bring Women Back To Work initiative allows companies to recruit women who have taken an extended career break.
7. Reddit (US)
Encourages men to take parental leave to address career breaks, with a flexible policy allowing families to structure leave as needed. Alexis Ohanian as Co-Founder, is a passionate champion for all parents to take the parental leave available to them.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Technology has opened up the world but has also brought challenges, such as online harassment directed towards women. According to the UN, women receive 95% of aggressive behaviour, harassment and abusive language online.
8. Etsy (Global)
A company led by 52% female leadership, which provides opportunities for women to establish their own incomes through a platform where 87% of storefronts are owned by women, 97% of sellers work from home and 80% are a business of one person.
9. Affectiva (Global)
A female-founded organisation that addresses gender bias in AI with a dataset that is 50% women, aiming to humanise technology.
10. Bumble (US)
Innovates to drive progress for women, by flipping societal norms. Has changed the law in Texas to prevent unsolicited nude photos and developed technology to blur explicit content. 85% of employees and 80% of leadership are women.
The Opportunity: Tech companies, known for pushing boundaries, need to consider benefits that genuinely address the needs of marginalised groups, including women. Focusing on specialist areas where women are underrepresented and empowering working parents to return successfully will make technology careers more appealing to young women. This is not only morally right but essential for addressing the looming talent shortage. Gender diversity in tech is crucial for preventing gender pay gaps, fostering women-focused innovation, and unlocking financial gains across all industries.
Chapter 8: Utilities and Services
The Utilities and Services sector faces unique gender equality challenges, situated among industries like Construction, Manufacturing & Engineering, FMCG, and Tech. Specific obstacles include the scarcity of women in STEM and energy roles, a mid-senior drop-off due to the demands of remote work, and the necessity to fill numerous new jobs created in the sector's evolution toward Net Zero.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Fewer girls entering STEM careers result in fewer senior women in high-paid technical roles.
The energy sector has fewer women compared to almost any other industry, and therefore a lack of role models.
The 'endless juggle' and the need for technical experience in remote locations lead to a drop-off in mid-senior women. Plus, over 50% of women working at sea experience bullying or harassment.
1. General Electric (Global)
The GE Girls program encourages girls into STEM careers, supporting thousands over the last 10 years.
2. Shell (Global)
Their #MakeTheFuture campaign highlights gender inequality and prejudice faced by women in STEM careers.
3. EDF (UK)
Talent 2.0 was a programme that focused on under-represented areas of the pipeline, achieving a 45% promotion rate for women in the first year. EDF believed women were less likely to come forward for promotion so they came to them.
4. BHP (Australia)
Offers 13 flexible working options instead of the industry norm for fly-in fly-out employees.
5. Schlumberger (Global)
The Dual Careers programme supports women in global mobility, and women partners of male employees. It considers the impact on the family unit of a move abroad.
6. Maersk (India)
Aims to increase the proportion of women cadets from 7.6% to 50% by 2027 through the Women Seafarers’ Cadet program. And they are making roles more accessible to women, by deploying them in pairs, and providing flexibility in the length of deployment at sea.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
There exists a continuous evolution of skills due to pressure on companies to combat climate change.
Women constitute 22% of employees in the industry, rising to 32% in the renewable energy workforce, which is a positive sign of change all round.
7. Rio Tinto (Australia)
The Transferrable Pathways scheme recruits women with skills from defense, aviation, government, and education to increase diversity. Over 3,000 women applied in its first year.
8. Centrica (UK)
Aims for 50% of Net Zero engineer apprentices to be women, training them as Smart Energy engineers.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Women in local communities are most affected by displacement and food security, often threatened by extraction activities.
Gender equality and climate change are linked, and the absence of women at the top slows overall innovation and progress.
9. SPCG Public Company (South East Asia)
Founder Wandee Kunchornyakong focuses on clean energy and women's progress, with 60% women in the company. SPCG has reduced carbon emissions by around 200,000 tonnes a year, winning awards for their progress.
10. ReNew Power (India)
The ReNew India Women Initiative empowers local women economically, so they are better equipped to withstand the challenges that climate change and the fossil fuels industry bring to them.
The Opportunity: The industry is undergoing rapid transformation, providing an opportunity for progress in gender equality. Retaining talented women and reshaping the industry for continuous female career development is crucial. Changing rules for progressing to senior leadership, such as addressing time spent away and unsafe conditions, will make the industry more appealing to girls considering careers in Utilities and Services.
Chapter 9: Fashion, Retail & QSR
The Fashion, Retail, and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) industry has faced significant challenges due to the pandemic, particularly impacting in-store workers. Gender progression in this sector encounters obstacles, including incompatible working hours for in-store management with affordable childcare and gender inequality in the supply chain. While there is a balanced percentage of women in senior leadership in many companies, issues persist elsewhere.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
There exists a drop-off in Senior Women, seen particularly in e-commerce due to inequalities in tech. 87% of CEO, President, and founder roles in e-commerce are held by men.
A lack of employee benefits for workers on non-permanent contracts hinders progression from shop floor to the C-Suite.
1. Next (UK)
Established an online marketplace allowing store workers to swap shifts, providing flexibility for predominantly women workers.
2. Burberry (Global)
Introduced a global parental leave policy, offering 18 weeks fully paid leave and 80% working hours upon return. Two-thirds of Burberry’s workforce are women, with the highest proportion in executive and direct report positions in the FTSE 100.
3. Amazon (US)
In a country where access to fertility treatment is very expensive and out of reach for most, Amazon covers expenses for women employees from day one, including non-HQ staff, which is extremely rare.
4. Yoox Net-A-Porter (UK)
Despite 60% of total employees and more than 50% of management being women, they are not satisfied with the percentage of women in tech roles. So they launched the Women in Tech sponsorship program to increase representation of women technologists.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
Gender equality throughout retail businesses makes business sense in an industry where women drive 70-80% of purchasing decisions.
5. Yum! Brands (US)
The Center for Global Franchise Excellence is the first university business programme focused on franchising for women and people of colour.
6. Target (US)
Labels all women-owned products on their website, supporting women entrepreneurs certified by WBENC.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
Retailers are accountable for gender equality in their supply chains, where vulnerable women and children can be impacted. Women hold almost half of roles in the global supply chain but only a quarter of leadership positions.
7. Walgreen Boots Alliance (US)
The Top Shelf Capacity programme in partnership with WBDC, supports minority-owned businesses whilst feeding its pipeline of diverse suppliers.
8. Ikea (South Asia)
They have adapted working conditions, moving weaving centers closer to villages, and introducing new loom designs to accommodate women workers. They haven’t patented it so that the technology can benefit others.
9. H&M (South Asia)
Three quarters of their employees are women, as is leadership. However, there are 1.5 million people across 40 countries that make the products. Most of them are women but only a quarter are supervisors. Initiatives include a leadership programme for women supervisors in the supply chain that led to the promotion of women in Bangladesh factories. And, they now pay women workers digitally to include them into the modern financial system. This removes the need for them to enter high-risk situations by carrying large amounts of cash.
10. Nike (Global)
Nike suppliers have on average three quarters women production operators, but only a third of women in management. Men step up into leadership roles at 3.5 times the rate of women. Nike has created a tool to measure progress across 10 different areas. By 2025 they expect 100% of suppliers to reach ‘mature gender equitable capability’.
The Opportunity: Attention should be directed to the start of the pipeline to support experienced women talent. Applying learnings to women in the supply chain will enhance progression that benefits communities in the developing world. And overall, achieving gender equality in the industry will better represent its diverse customer base.
Chapter 10: Advertising, Media & Marketing
The Advertising, Media, and Marketing industry, much like the technology sector, plays a pivotal role in driving cultural change. However, it faces challenges such as a gender pay gap, and the aftermath of #MeToo has shed light on issues of harassment and abuse. Progress is being made, with a focus on supporting women's progression and safety.
Workplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
There exists a decline in the number of senior women in Advertising, with total women representation dropping below 50%.
Management salaries are often insufficient to cover childcare costs, which affects progression.
Many roles are self-employed, lacking benefits like parental leave, and shoot hours can be challenging for caregivers.
1. WPP (Global)
A global leadership development programme, supporting mid-senior women and resulting in increased senior manager and board representation of women.
2. The Talent Manager (UK)
Promoting job shares in TV through a platform that enables freelancers to position themselves as job-sharers.
3. Netflix (Global)
An Open Compensation approach for pay transparency and parity across leadership. The top 1,000 leaders can see how much any employee gets paid, inviting open and honest conversations about gender disparity and pay gaps.
4. The WonderWorks (UK)
A mobile nursery for film workers with families, providing affordable childcare on production sites.
Marketplace Challenges to Gender Equality:
In a world where women drive 70-80% of purchasing decisions, gender equality throughout this industry makes business sense.
The industry's client service nature demands presenteeism and availability, posing challenges for caregivers. This includes ‘pitching’ where agencies fight for business across very long working hours. They are great career exposure opportunities, but a recent UK study found that almost 45% of women creatives had not been put on a pitch within a year.
5. VCCP (UK)
Their Pitch Positive Pledge initiative co-founded by the CEO, aims to make pitching more intentional, accountable, and responsible.
Community Challenges to Gender Equality:
The industry's influence on culture requires understanding and reflecting the audience to drive societal progress.
6. ITV (UK)
The Comedy 50:50 initiative for gender balance in comedy writing teams, aims to eliminate all-male writing teams. ITV has since changed the terms of their Social Partnership Commissioning Commitments and will not commission any comedy show with an all-male writing team.
7. Comcast NBCUniversal (US)
Developed a Female Forward initiative to increase women directors in scripted programming through workshops and networking.
8. Channel 4 (UK)
Launched the UK Media industry’s first menopause policy which saw 78% of employees feel better about Channel 4 as a place to work. Following the broadcast of the Channel 4 documentary Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause in 2021, demand for HRT in the UK surged by 30% in the month following.
9. Warner Media (Global)
Cartoons are historically biased, in the way that non-human characters default to male. It’s believed only 30% are ever ‘women’. Warner are actively changing gender bias in children’s animation, aiming for 54% female protagonist characters.
10. BBC (UK)
Launched the 50:50 challenge to ensure gender balance across contributors in BBC programmes, where male experts had contributed to shows 3 times out of 4. Within a year of the initiative, nearly three quarters of all BBC news and current affairs programmes had a gender balance. More than 20 other media organisations have since signed up.
The Opportunity: Progress is being made, but challenges persist for working mothers. Partnering with clients to evolve outdated attitudes and supporting mid-senior level women can accelerate progress. Gender-balanced leadership will drive equality in decision-making, creativity, and societal progress.
Conclusion: Observations on driving gender equality:
There is a lot to digest across these 100 companies and ten industries. In summary, these are top-line observations as to how all industries can drive gender equality within the workplace, the market and the community.
Ensure safety, both physical and psychological, for women.
Focus on STEM throughout the pipeline.
Build confidence in mid-senior women facing a complex combination of life’s challenges.
Develop strategies and benefits for working parents.
Connect efforts throughout the business to advance different groups of women.
ERGs are beneficial, but action elsewhere is crucial.
Engage men in the journey to gender equality.
Publicly highlight efforts to attract potential talent in a competitive market.
