A new report card has found that science and higher education organisations that take action on gender equality through a structured framework have a 37% lower gender pay gap on average, while those not taking action have experienced an increase in the gender pay gap.
Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) today released a new analysis of the latest Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) gender pay gap data for the university and science research sectors, revealing a stark and growing divide between organisations taking action and those that are not.
SAGE was established to deliver the internationally recognised Athena Swan program – an evidence-based initiative that supports STEMM and university organisations to address gender inequality and diversity including the gender pay gap and representation of women in senior roles.
The report, Progress and Backsliding: Gender Pay Gap in the University and Research Sectors Report Card, found nine of the 13 universities within the target gender pay gap range of +/-5%, were institutions implementing the SAGE Athena Swan program.
However, almost two thirds of research centres and universities have failed to progress beyond a gender pay audit to identify the causes of their gender pay gap or take action to address it.
SAGE Chief Executive Officer Dr Janin Bredehoeft said the data clearly showed that the gender pay gap is a choice.
“Those organisations that identify their problems and actively implement change have achieved the greatest reductions in their gender pay gap and improved gender equality across multiple measures.
“Those that haven’t moved beyond an audit to take active steps to address gender inequality have seen, on average, their pay gap increase.
“This report card sends a clear message to those institutions failing to take action: their growing gender pay gap is an active choice.”
Among the multiple factors driving the gender pay gap are direct and indirect discrimination or bias, limited workplace flexibility, and women not progressing to senior roles in the same numbers as men.
“The evidence consistently shows that improving gender equality delivers a number of benefits, from lower rates of discrimination, harassment and other violence to improved morale and staff retention, increased innovation and higher productivity,” Dr Bredehoeft said.
Burnet Institute was one of the few medical research institutes or higher education organisations to have a negative gender pay gap – that is, a pay gap in favour of women.
It began the Athena Swan program 10 years ago and has progressed through a number of accreditation steps to actively drive change not only in gender equity but to foster diversity and inclusion.
Their efforts have delivered a 13.9 percentage point reduction in the median total remuneration gender pay gap over three years from 11.5% in 2022 to -2.4% in the latest reporting.
Burnet Deputy Director of Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Professor Caroline Homer said the organisation’s progress reflects a long-term, Institute-wide commitment to change.
“Reducing the gender pay gap requires ongoing focus, transparency and accountability across all levels of an organisation,” she said.
“Our results show that when we take meaningful, sustained action, it is possible not only to close the gap, but to build a more equitable workplace.”
Dr Bredehoeft said Burnet was a sector leader in addressing gender equity, diversity and inclusion and an employer of choice for women working in STEMM.
“This is particularly important in a sector where employers struggle to attract and retain women and where we see high rates of attrition at every level of a woman’s STEMM career.“
Media contact: sagemedia@sciencegenderequity.org.au
About SAGE
Science in Australia Gender Equity was established in 2014 by the Australian Academy of Science (AAS) and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) to drive improvements in gender equality in science, technology engineering, mathematics and medicine organisations.
Funded by the Commonwealth Government and member institutes, it has expanded focus to provide evidence-based tailored workplace diversity, equality and inclusion accreditation to tertiary education providers and research centres.
