Vevey, Switzerland November 16, 2023 – Today marks a significant step in the pursuit of workplace equality and diversity worldwide. After more than a decade of working on closing the gender pay gap, the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation is advancing its fight against unequal pay and unequal opportunities further. Now accounting for ethnicities as an explanatory factor for pay discrimination on top of gender, the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation is bringing intersectionality to its internationally recognized equal pay certification.
To date, women consistently and globally earn less than their male counterparts, and this wage gap is even more pronounced for women of color, compounding the disparities they face in the workforce. This systemic inequality underscores the urgent need for equitable pay and opportunities for all women, particularly those at the intersection of gender and racial discrimination.
Consequently, the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation now offers 3 kinds of certifications corresponding to 3 degrees of granularity, scrutinizing for equal pay and equal opportunities based on:
- Gender & Ethnicity (new)
- Ethnicity (new)
- Gender
These new EQUAL-SALARY Certifications are based on the same thorough, practical, and scientific methodology EQUAL SALARY has been applying to certify over 130 international companies to date on the basis of gender. This allows companies to verify and communicate that they offer equal pay and equal opportunities for work of equal value across ethnicities and/or regardless of gender. These unique and groundbreaking labels are designed to help companies do the right thing; close the ethnicity and gender wage gap while gaining a competitive advantage, thus positioning themselves as leaders in diversity and inclusion.
The development of these methodologies has been meticulously crafted with the support of international experts, academics and professionals specializing in the fields of statistics, HR, audit, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). The principle of ethnicity used here is based on the self-declaration by employees.
“It is not possible to rank discriminations. These new certifications represent a new step towards universal equality”. Lisa Rubli, co-CEO of the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation.
“Like pay inequality between men and women, pay inequality based on ethnicity is a deep-rooted problem. Beyond words, EQUAL-SALARY is a practical tool for dismantling this discrimination and ensuring that everyone is paid fairly.” Sylvie Makela, CEO of Tribus Urbaines.
Key Features of the EQUAL-SALARY Ethnicity and Gender & Ethnicity Certification:
- Comprehensive assessment: This is the only equal pay certification in the world that adopts a methodology based on hard data (salary analysis) addressing the racial/ethnic pay gap. The first phase is complemented by a desktop and on-site audit scrutinizing bias and prejudice beyond just pay, throughout the employee’s life cycle.
- Data-Driven Insights: The EQUAL-SALARY Certifications leverage in depth analytics to provide actionable insights to organizations. By identifying pay and operational disparities, it helps companies to understand where gaps exist and how they can be addressed effectively.
For more information please visit: https://www.equalsalary.org/certfifications
