EOWA announce 2009 female-friendly employers

Grand parents leave, 12-weeks paid maternity leave and promotion pathways that accommodate home and work are some of the policies offered by 2009’s crop of female friendly employers.

This year, 111 organisations met the strict criteria set by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency [EOWA] ““ up from 99 employers last year.

Newcomers to EOWA Employer of Choice for Women list [EOCFW] include insurance giant Allianz, cosmetics company Estee Lauder, global bank HSBC, professional services firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers and fashion wholesaler Luxottica.

Companies such as Hays recruitment, lawyers Allens Aurthur Robinson and Amercian Express have now featured on the EOCFW list for several consecutive years.

Overall, EOCFW organisations have a much higher number of female managers than the top 200 ASX-listed companies. EOCFW employers have ““ on average of 46.7 per cent female managers versus only *10.7 per cent for ASX listed companies.

Employers making the list also have an average gender pay equity gap of 10.9 per cent. The national average pay gap is 16 per cent.

To make the list, each organisation must meet strict criteria including offering female employees a minimum of six weeks paid maternity leave following 12 months service to the business.

According to the EOWA, the employers on its list provide an average of 12 weeks paid maternity leave.

EOCFW employers must also provide female managers with the opportunity to work part-time, have women make up at least 28 per cent of their total management or an industry average equivalent. Employers must also undertake a pay equity analysis to make sure women are being paid fairly for the work they do.

Mairi Steele, acting director of EOWA, said the list provides women with a guide to organisations “showing a real commitment to creating fair workplaces and to achieving genuine results for working women.”

“Employers work hard to get on this list because despite the economic downturn, many are acutely aware of the need to attract and retain women for sustainability in the long term,” she said.

Some stand out initiatives of EOCFW organisations include:

• Westaff introduced grandparents leave for employees who have been with the organisation for three years or more. The leave recognises the motivations of an ageing workforce and provides for one week off at full pay upon the birth of a grandchild.

• Corrs Chambers Westgarth initiated the Female Talent Pipeline to recognise that women do not position themselves for promotion in the same way as men and are often trying to balance personal and career objectives at a critical time in their career. There is also a Women Leading Change and coaching program for women with the potential to become a partner at Corrs.

• Curtin University’s practice of ensuring that women have roles as deputies on any Committee where a male has the Chair is proving highly successful. All Executive managers are required to report annually on the trend in numbers of female staff as well on diversity and access matters. In the first 12 months of returning from parental leave, staff members are entitled to paid leave of up to five hours per week for child care assistance.

* The 2008 Australian Census of Women in Leadership, conducted by Macquarie University and the EOWA showed women comprised only 10.7 per cent of executive managers in the ASX 200 companies. Female management comprised 12 per cent in 2006.

For the full list of EOCFW organisations go to http://www.eowa.gov.au/EOWA_Employer_of_Choice_for_Women/Organisation_List_09.asp