THIRTY-TWO influential businesswomen have written to States Members urging them to support a proposition requiring private-sector companies to publish their gender pay gap.
Primary signatory Kate Wright, cultural change specialist and founder of The Diversity Network, has also invited all 49 politicians to a Gender Pay Gap Round Table discussion in early June.
The letter states that improving gender inequality and female participation in the workplace was an “economic imperative” for Jersey in the context of an ageing population and falling fertility rates and required “urgent and meaningful action” from employers and government.
During the past few months, Mrs Wright has assembled a Gender Pay Gap Network of more than 50 men and women in response to the “disappointing news” that the average gross hourly earnings of men are 12% higher than those of women.
The growing coalition has already met twice to discuss how to lobby the Council of Ministers – who do not support Deputy Louise Doublet’s proposition – to address the issue of workplace inequality.
If the proposition is approved, the government would be required to contact all businesses employing more than 50 people to ask them to voluntarily publish data showing the difference between the average earnings between their male and female employees, with an accompanying explanation and action plan to address any imbalance.
If too few firms have agreed to the request by International Women’s Day 2025 – 8 March – the proposition requires the government to start preparing legislation to make the publication of such data a legal requirement.
Deputy Doublet argued that the economy could “benefit hugely” from an improvement in female workforce participation.
The letter echoes Deputy Doublet’s arguments.
It states: “There is a body of evidence to demonstrate that taking positive action to enable women to have equal participation in our workforces would reap benefits not just for women, but for the Island as a whole, socially, culturally and economically.
“It makes absolute sense to mobilise women and enable them to be more economically active, and we need to see real action to ensure this happens as inclusively and as quickly as possible.”
The letter added that it was “very important” for politicians to support the proposition which was “measured in its tone”.
It added: “We believe that supporting Deputy Doublet’s proposition will be a relatively easy win, among an array of possible actions that government may choose to incorporate in its economic strategies, which will help to support gender equality and the economic growth of Jersey in very challenging times.
“We believe that improving gender inequality and female participation in the workplace is an economic imperative for Jersey, especially in the context of our ageing population and falling fertility rates, that requires urgent and meaningful action from employers and government.”
The letter further stated that Jersey was “behind the curve” in its lack of statutory requirement for gender pay gap reporting and that it was “not as burdensome or difficult as some are predicting”.
It concluded: “We ask you, when you consider your response to the proposition, to please think about the message you will be sending to women and girls on our island, or indeed women and men considering moving to Jersey to fill urgently needed skills and talent shortages, about your aspirations for Jersey as a modern, inclusive workplace and how much women and girls are valued by you as equal citizens.
“That is all we are asking for – the same opportunity to fulfil our potential, to support our industries and to contribute to our economy as our male colleagues, partners and friends.”
At the time of going to print, Mrs Wright said she had received “very few replies”.
She added: “I’ve been blown away by how quickly this group has self-formed and is growing so rapidly as more and more people want to have their voices and ideas heard on improving gender equality in our workplaces.”
The Council of Ministers published a comment paper on the proposition saying: “While the gender pay gap is a significant concern, the Council of Ministers does not feel that the Deputy’s proposal is the most effective mechanism in the short term to address the gender pay gap, nor the best targeting of government resources, or a proportionate demand on local businesses.”
