The companys HR director acknowledges theres still a long way to go'
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DB Breweries has officially closed its gender pay gap following the implementation of a three and a half year programme.
Despite the success, the brewing company’s HR director Natasha Whiting believes there is still a long way to go.
“DB is actively working to be a leader in the provision of an inclusive, non-discriminatory workplace,” said Whiting.
“We recognise that closing the gender pay gap is an important issue and so have prioritised the measurement and closure of this gap in the last few years.
“The pay gap is merely a symptom of societal imbalance and if we are going to make meaningful change, we need to look at a more holistic picture.”
In early 2015, DB set in motion a specific talent acquisition and development strategy to eliminate its gender pay gap.
Gender placement over the last three years has been a 50:50 split and business practices have been implemented to allow the company to monitor remuneration benchmarks and then address any discrepancies.
This involved standardising pay rates within job grades, ensuring that the FTE (full time equivalent) salaries of part-time and flexible workers are aligned to their job grade and colleagues, and implementing a broader ‘Future of Work’ programme with the goal of accommodating a modern workforce and building capability for the future.
The brewing company has also focused on improving its flexible working programme, a review and update of parental leave policies, and a refresh of its physical working environment.
“DB isn’t putting its hand up and saying that because our pay gap is 0% we’ve achieved our goal,” said Whiting.
“But rather acknowledging that this is an important measure when it comes to our overall approach of fostering a modern and accommodating workplace.”
Whiting added that 25% of staff work under official flexible arrangements, and many others informally arrange their work day around other commitments.
“We haven’t split our initiatives into gender targeted areas, because we do believe that changes need to happen across the board if there is going to be a meaningful shift in the way our society balances work, home, and leisure.”
The brewing industry has historically been male-dominant, and DB’s staff remains around 65% male, a figure that is also reflected in its senior leadership.
“We’re not putting ourselves forward as New Zealand’s leader in equality,” said Whiting.
“But we are recognising that we’ve made progress through very gentle and focused changes over time, and will continue to prioritise our journey to creating a diverse and inclusive society.
“Gender equity is about much more than the pay gap, but closing the gap is certainly a key milestone.”
Earlier this week, HRD also reported that WSP Opus has closed the 7.5% pay gap for people in similar roles within the organisation.