Still, when comparing like for like roles, the employer continues to find a pay gap in favour of men. That’s now at 1.7 per cent, according to its latest pay equity results, down 1.1 per cent on last year’s results.
As such, it concedes it still has work to do.
Earlier this week, it announced it would be extending the superannuation paid to employees on parental leave from 18 to 52 weeks. The announcement sees it join a growing (but still small) list of organisations looking to address how superannuation is paid during parental leave.
The City is the first local government organisation to publicly report on its gender pay gap.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore says that with the World Economic Forum finding it will take 217 years to reach workplace gender equality globally at the current rate of change, the City is doing what it can to close the gender gap — starting with the gap between women and men’s superannuation.
“It’s unfair that women are penalised by lower superannuation benefits when they retire because they take time out to look after children.
“It’s why we’re addressing the gap as a way for the City to continue attracting and retaining talented women who plan to have children during their career and to help address the economic inequities women face.”
City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone is a Workplace Gender Equality agency pay equity ambassador and noted the stats that find women retire with an average half the superannuation of their male counterparts.
“On average by the time of retirement, a women accumulates half the superannuation of her male counterpart, and that this latest announcement will see it match the best offers being made by both public and private organisations across Australia,” she said.
She added the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to also improve workplace flexibility, to improve leadership opportunities for staff and build its management capability to lead a diverse and inclusive workplace. The employer currently offers 18 weeks of parental leave at full pay.
Pictured above: Lord Mayor Clover Moore (centre) with City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone and Director of Workforce and Information Services, Susan Pettifer.