Women Are Good for Business and the Economy

More and more employers are making equality and diversity in the workplace core to their business and enjoying the benefits, according to an Opportunity Now study of over 100 of the UK’s largest organisations.  The latest Opportunity Now benchmarking survey is a chance for employers to take stock of their progress on the journey towards gender equality and diversity. It provides them with a tool to measure their own development over a set period and also gives them a snapshot of where they stand, relative to their peers. 

For details of this and other Opportunity Now reports, please contact Opportunity Now to discuss how you can join your organisation as a member.

• Six out of ten employers have a detailed business case which focuses on the benefits of gender equality and diversity and are measuring the impact on employee recruitment and retention, customer satisfaction, increased revenue and effective financial governance as well as creativity and innovation. In 2006 the figure was just 35 per cent.

• Over the last year employers have made a significant commitment to dealing with workplace issues affecting women.  31% of employers, (compared with 20% in 2006), have put in place fully effective mechanisms to tackle job segregation including specific recruitment drives, job shadowing and open days.

• Eight out of ten organisations are now taking some steps to tackle the significant inequality in pay which still exists between men and women with the number judged as effectively ensuring equality of pay through all their systems and procedures more than doubling to 19 per cent. 

• 45% of employers were awarded top marks for the range and depth of programmes in place to support women’s development, a significant increase from the 21% who were awarded top marks in this area last year.