- Isn’t it OUTRAGEOUS that gender equity remains an unreachable objective in 2023?!

Did you know that our national gender pay gap, for full time employees, is still 13.3%? 

To put this into perspective, women living in Australia earn $13,182 a year less than our male counterparts in the same role! What is even more shocking, is that we had almost completed a 360° yet somehow returned right back to where we were 3 years ago, when the pay gap was 13.4%. 

Talk about being counteractive from recent significant progress!

It is both discouraging, and unacceptable that statistics continue to reveal gender equity has remained an unreachable objective to this day.

For most of us, the “gender pay gap” conversation has been a life-long constant issue, without resolution.

Its 2023, most of us truly believe women are more than capable, intelligent, strong and let’s face it, changing the way for better, so why are we (unfairly) being kept in lower positions and titles?

The simple answer is: our care responsibilities outside of work & how we allow senior male colleagues to “handle us” in the workforce… if you know you know.

 

According to the Australian Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), even though women hold a larger percentage than men for attaining high school qualifications and bachelor’s degrees and above, they are failed by default when considered amongst men when it comes down to leadership positions.

Leadership positions are still given to male colleagues 82.4% of the time, according to recent 2022 statistics sourced by the Australian Government WEGA. (see all gender equality statistics: Here)

 

Your opinion is important!

How do you feel about the reality for full-time working women in Australia face?

Do you think women should have to work more hours than men for the same pay check?

Whilst additionally navigating discrimination and mild to severe cases of unprovoked workplace harassment?

 

So, what is it going to take to achieve not only gender equality, but also gender equity?

International Women’s Day ultimately allows us all to reflect and recognise the gap & the obstacles that women still continue to face. Including the economic, cultural, social and political obstacles that are still apparent in society today.

It is celebrated globally as a day of true empowerment. Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland marked the first International Women's Day on March 19, 1911. This was when women and men joined together to demand that women be allowed to vote and work without discrimination.

Fast forward to 2023, and the world has seen a major movement in both female and society's attitudes towards women's equality and freedom!

 

When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life - Kofi Annan

Secretary-general of the United Nations & recipient of Nobel Peace Prize.

International Women’s day encourages different communities to celebrate and recognise the accomplishments of women all around the world. It is important that we do not take these achievements for granted. It took relentless strength and power for our voices to be heard.

While younger generations may shrug statistics off, believing the battle is over, most women understand it has taken multiple decades just to be heard against the patriarchy.

Although it is clear we have come a long way, we have not reached resolution. And, when you consider leadership, we’re not even close.

This year, the IWD campaign theme is: #EmbraceEquity. 

 

We now have female prime ministers, astronauts, doctors and engineers, as well as strong females that are running incredible companies to save our world!

Despite such accomplishments, I was astonished to discover men account for 85% of Fortune 500 CEOs.

This illustrates the continuing challenges that women encounter. While there is no doubt that we have made progress, there is still a long way to go before we can fully achieve equity and diversity in the business sector.

 

Women are needed in leadership positions all around the world, from operating businesses to leading governments. Leadership that is gender equitable is known to result in a more inclusive and successful society.

According to the official International Women's Day website, women’s best chances of advancing to a leadership role are condensed down to the first 10 years of their career. To really understand the enormity of this we firstly need to be aware of the differences between equality and equity.

 

Equality and Equity are not the same!

EQUITY	vs. "EQUALITY"
is subjective. Fairness and Justice Making more logical decisions. Focus is on each individual's needs. Everyone treated fairly but independently.	is measurable.  Keeping everyone at the same level "sameness" Everyone has the same opportunity, regardless of their needs.

It is critical that we continue to discuss equity as we strive towards inclusion.

International Women's Day is a powerful, influential day that should be celebrated and recognised by everybody.

How did you celebrate International Women's Day this year?

These are a few ways you can advocate for gender equity on International Women’s week, in celebration to all women and their achievements in overcoming adversity:

1. Learn about the challenges surrounding gender inequality and discuss your thoughts, feelings and strategies with respected others to open the conversation and promote gender equity within your work and social circles.
2. Be confident and understand your voice has power - Gender stereotypes should be challenged: Speak out when you hear or observe gender stereotypes.
3. Take time a moment to recognise the accomplishments of women before you who have overcome even more adversity yet relentlessly contributed significantly to society.

This can be done through:

• Word of mouth – talk to people!
• Donating to trusted organisations and charities dedicated to social change. 
• Social media – even if you don’t share or post yourself, engaging with accounts that are dedicated to the cause will help their growth, reaching more people!
• Hosting events.
• Attending events.

And most importantly

Encourage others to support women-owned, women-led and female-founded companies!

Look for ways to support these businesses in your community and empower others to do the same. 

 

Our "WHY"

Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody is going to know whether you did it or not

- Oprah Winfrey

 

To Celebrate 2023 International Women’s day, the Ecocious team would love to shout-out some remarkable, female-founded brands that we feel represent female empowerment.

We have noticed an ongoing trend in sustainable brands being predominantly pushed forward by women, with most of our partnered brands being female-founded!

This alone demonstrates how female’s deliver innovative perspectives through different viewpoints. Emphasising why our world needs women in leadership roles.    

 

Female Founded Companies

That Are Actually Changing Our World!

 

"Taboo" Founded in 2018 by Isobel Marshall & Eloise Hall

A company "for people and planet, not the personal profit" passionate and vocal about menstruation - campaigning for better menstrual health care and education in Australia, and throughout the world.

100% *certified* Organic and ethically sourced cotton products (which we know is the only cotton we should be using!) 

100% of net profits re-invested into to long-term sustainable programmes that promote hygienic health and education. 

Not to mention, their "pad it forward" program is committed to fighting period poverty in Australia.
 

 

"Laboratoria" Founded by Mariana Costa Checa

“Our work at Laboratoria is a bet on the talent of Latin American women, with the digital economy transforming our region, we want to make sure women can benefit from its opportunities and be part of building our future as technology creators." - Mariana Costa Checa

Laboratoria was founded to take one of the toughest challenges facing the modern workforce: providing training and upskilling needed to elevate the playing field for underemployed women.

By focusing on high-demand digital skills such as web development and user experience design, Costa’s social enterprise is preparing women who have been out of the workforce, or employed in low-paying jobs, to launch and grow promising careers in technology.

An Educational non-profit organization that began in Peru as a "start up" with 15 students has since amassed to a global organisation with locations in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and most of Latin America!

With an employment placement rate of more than 85% since 2019, graduates have worked in more than 950 companies across industries, increasing their incomes by an average of 2.7x and contribute to closing the talent and gender gap in tech. 

"Kraftblock" Co-Founded by Dr. Susanne König

“Energy efficiency is the only resource we have in abundance, and we want to help industrial businesses all over the world to tap into it to realize enormous emissions reductions as well as economic benefits.” - Susanne Koing.

After receiving her PhD in economics with a focus on finance and risk management and noticing a critical need to find a solution to store excess heat produced by energy-intensive industries (that would otherwise go to waste) a thermal-based renewable energy storage system was developed. 

By 2022, Kraftblock launched its first large-scale project with PepsiCo/Eneco (Net-Zero Heat).

Susanne continues to be an inspiration for women who are passionate about business, sustainability and nature.

 

Words by Kira Thorpe & the Ecocious team.