Employer achieves 'Australian-first' in closing the gender pay gap

There is an average 14.1% pay gap between full-time male and female workers in Australia

BY HRD 14 Jun 2019

Philip Morris International (PMI) recently became the first multinational to receive the global EQUAL-SALARY certification, awarded by the independent Switzerland-based EQUAL-SALARY Foundation. Now, Philip Morris Australia have announced they have become the first Australian organisation to achieve it.

The announcement is particularly significant given there is an average 14.1% pay gap between full-time male and female workers around the country, according to Australian government statistics.

The independent analysis from the EQUAL-SALARY foundation revealed only a 0.9% difference between what female Philip Morris Australia employees are paid compared to males.

Philip Morris Australia Managing Director Tammy Chan said it was important for people to be paid equally for equal work.

“The pay gap is just one aspect of gender equality, and at PMI we’re also determined to close the gender gap in management,” said Chan.

“This certification is public recognition for something we’ve been proud of for many years – equal pay for equal work. PMI is committed to making the world a better place, and that includes improving gender equality. It is one thing for an organisation to jump on a progressive movement with a flashy social media post and a catchy hashtag, but another to genuinely implement it.

“As a female leader and a mother of a young girl, I am determined to do my bit in making Philip Morris a destination of choice for the next generation of aspirational young women and I can only hope more organisations follow our lead in challenging the glass ceilings.”

The certification was only awarded after an 18-month process in which PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) – the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation’s auditor – undertook a statistical analysis of staff salaries worldwide, interviewed management on their commitment to gender equality, conducted focus groups with staff, and reviewed internal HR policies for bias.

Moreover, this acknowledgement comes just months after Philip Morris Australia was also awarded the federal government’s Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation for a fourth successive year.

The EQUAL-SALARY certification means the 77,000 Philip Morris employees across 90 countries are paid equally for equal work, irrespective of their gender.