See latest news about EPIC and equal pay
Development and Enhancement of the Unified Employment Contract in the Private Education SectorCollective Employment Contract for the Private Education Sector
In Egypt’s ongoing pursuit of sustainable and inclusive development, ensuring equal pay for equal work has emerged as both a strategic and moral imperative. Beyond fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on gender equality, this principle is instrumental in advancing a broad spectrum of the United Nations’ SDGs related to poverty reduction, education, health, empowerment, inclusion, and decent work.
The Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), co-led by the ILO, OECD and UN Women, held its Annual Technical Meeting 2025 on 18–19 September at UN Women Headquarters in New York under the theme “Achieving Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value in the Beijing+30 Era.”
After a decade since the last in-person gathering, Mercosul Ministers of Labor met in Brasília, Brazil, on October 21, 2025, for a high-level meeting focused on advancing social and labor policies in the region. The event featured a strategic presentation by the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), under the presidency of the Brazilian Government, reinforcing the importance of regional cooperation and dialogue to promote pay equity between women and men.
Institutional Engagement and International OutreachDuring the week of International Equal Pay Day, Henrike von Platen, CEO of the FPI, spoke at the IV International Congress on the Gender Pay Gap held in Bilbao, Spain.At this event, the FPI introduced the Universal Fair Pay Check® as the global standard for certifying fair pay structures to the Spanish community. It allows companies to analyze their pay systems, identify gaps, and certify their progress.
In July 2025, Ireland officially joined the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), marking a significant milestone in its commitment to closing the gender pay gap. The announcement was made at the G20 in South Africa.The decision to join EPIC is an important step forward for Ireland as it reaffirms Ireland’s deep national commitment to equal pay for equal work - not merely as an aspiration, but as a fundamental human right.
By Kadie Philp - Commissioner / Chief Administrative Officer, Ontario Pay Equity Commission, Canada
June 26, 2025University of Talca, Talca, ChileLike many countries, Chile has not yet managed to close the gender pay gap. According to the latest results from the Supplementary Income Survey for 2023, the average gender pay gap in Chile is 23%. If we consider only wage earners, i.e., employed workers, the gap is 17%.
Brazil has officially assumed the Chair of the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), represented by Maíra Lacerda, Head of the Special Advisory Office for International Affairs at the Ministry of Labor and Employment. In her inaugural message, Ms. Lacerda reaffirmed Brazil’s deep political commitment to closing the gender pay gap and outlined an ambitious agenda focused on transparency, public policy, leadership, and cultural change.
by PayAnalytics by beqomThe EU Pay Transparency Directive will be implemented in less than a year, and it will reshape pay communications, employee rights, and reporting obligations. Now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with the Directive and get ready for compliance. This guide walks you through the requirements and offers practical steps on how to prepare. Get your free copy now
FPI Partner Network: Expanding Reach, Deepening ImpactAt FPI Fair Pay Innovation Lab, we believe that important changes are only possible through strong partnerships. That’s why we’re proud to spotlight the growing strength and global reach of the FPI Partner Network, now active in 14 countries across 3 continents.
by Lenka Simerska, Head of the Equal Pay Portfolio, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, CzechiaIn Czechia, a key instrument for promoting fair pay is the Equal Pay Calculator, provided by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs at rovnaodmena.cz. This interactive tool allows users to compare their earnings with national averages for similar roles, using real labor market data disaggregated by sex. It raises awareness of gender pay gaps and encourages informed dialogue on pay equity.
Canada, represented by Rakesh Patry, Director General of International and Intergovernmental Labour Affairs at Employment and Social Development Canada, has concluded its term as Chair of the Steering Committee of EPIC. Canada assumed the role in 2021, following Switzerland, which had held the Chair since the Coalition’s launch in 2017. As part of the leadership transition, Canada now takes on the role of Vice-Chair of the Steering Committee.As outgoing Chair, Rakesh Patry states
Gendered representations and characterizations abound in pop culture. From television, music, sports, video games, and art, women are both the creators and consumers of pop culture. A third season of Level the Paying Field reveals that both the stories that are told and the production behind them are not always gender equitable.
The compliance deadline for the EU Pay Transparency Directive is fast approaching, with just over a year until it takes effect. Pay equity experts from PayAnalytics by beqom have developed a free readiness checklist to help employers across the EU assess their current compliance status. The checklist also offers step-by-step guidance to ensure your organization is fully prepared by June 2026.
Spain recognizes the importance of raising the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI) as a means to fight inequality and promote gender equality, as it addresses the root causes of economic insecurity and supports inclusive growth.
Vevey, Switzerland, March 31, 2025 – The Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs (DFI) recently published a concerning report on the implementation of the new equality law in Switzerland. According to this report, half of the companies concerned are not meeting their legal obligations. The EQUAL-SALARY Foundation aims to respond to this inaction – and to the growing global pushback against the very foundations of equality – with concrete action.
At the CSW69 side event, "It All Comes Down to Money! Care, the Value of Work & the Multifaceted Pay Gap," hosted by the Czech Government and the Equal Pay Project, experts from international organizations, governments, and academia engaged in a compelling discussion on the persistent gender pay gap (GPG) and the structural barriers reinforcing it.Czech Republic’s Commitment to Equal Pay
In a major step forward for gender equality, the Brazilian federal government has launched the National Plan for Equal Pay and Labour between Women and Men, which will guide national efforts through 2027. The plan lays out a clear framework of policies and practical measures designed to close the gender pay gap and promote equal opportunities for women in the world of work.At its core, the plan focuses on breaking down the systemic barriers that continue to hinder women’s full participation and advancement in the labour market. It is built around three key pillars:
Brazil is taking decisive steps in 2025 to strengthen its commitment to closing the gender pay gap and ensuring equal pay for work of equal value. Building on a solid legislative foundation established in recent years, the country continues to roll out new tools, partnerships, and initiatives aimed at embedding pay equity across both public and private sectors.
As momentum continues to build around equal pay legislation and corporate accountability across Europe and the rest of the world, organisations are under increasing pressure to ensure that their compensation practices are fair, transparent, and evidence-based. The focus is shifting beyond compliance: companies are now looking for practical tools and data-informed insights that support sustainable, fair pay strategies.
By Sabina Mehmood and Zara Nanu MBEFor decades, conversations about the future of work have been dominated by executives, policymakers, and economists. But as industries undergo seismic shifts due to artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and economic upheaval, it’s clear that the people most affected: the employees - must play a central role in shaping what comes next.And yet, their voices are often missing.
The La Juste Valeur podcast offers a modern and engaging way to learn about the application of Quebec’s Pay Equity Act.Through research and inspiring conversations, actor Alice Pascual demystifies the concept of pay equity and shares her discoveries. Where does the Pay Equity Act come from? How does it apply? How can you get involved as an employee? How does this law help recognize women's work?Four episodes - A must-listen to familiarize yourself with this fundamental right.
On January 27, 2025, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) hosted a Breakfast Meeting at the ILO’s headquarters in Geneva, bringing together over 40 representatives from more than 35 governments. Led by ILO Deputy Director General Celeste Drake, the event provided a platform for members to share experiences while potential new members explored the benefits of EPIC in advancing equal pay for work of equal value.
The Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) held its Annual Technical Meeting on December 5-6, 2024, at the OECD Headquarters in Paris, bringing together over 60 experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss research, policies, and tools aimed at addressing gender pay gaps and promoting equal remuneration worldwide.
Achieving pay equity for work of equal value necessarily involves considering all the factors that contribute to the gender pay gap, such as unequal distribution of domestic responsibilities, the underrepresentation of women in decision-making bodies, and the high prevalence of women in informal and unpaid work, among others. In addition to addressing purely wage-related issues (such as minimum wage levels and pay transparency), this approach creates a holistic framework in the fight for pay equality.
Türkiye has officially joined the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), reaffirming its commitment to achieving pay equity and promoting economic inclusivity. This significant move underscores Türkiye’s dedication to eliminating workplace discrimination and ensuring equal pay for work of equal value.
This year has been significant for FPI Fair Pay Innovation Lab, with several highlights and activities. Here are some of the most notable aspects:2024 Highlights and News
The Fair-ON-Pay Association has developed a method and procedure to measure the “adjusted pay gap” based on the EPIC "Best Practice" model Logib. Companies that go through the rigorous Fair-ON-Pay process can obtain a label and publicly demonstrate that they comply with the Fair-ON-Pay standard. However, this method only applies to companies with at least 100 employees. To put this in perspective, in Switzerland less than 1% of companies (around 5,000) can carry out this type of analysis.
In November 2024, the EDGE Certified Foundation published the EDGEplus Unexplained Gender and Intersectional Pay Gap (UGIPG) Analysis V1.3 methodology. Closing Intersectional Pay Gaps
In December 2024, Switzerland released a new version of Logib Module 1, its free online equal pay analysis tool. This update takes detailed account of the structure of certain companies or organisations with complex and numerous job functions. The «level of requirements», a variable referring to the knowledge, skills and qualifications necessary to carry out tasks associated with a job function, has therefore been extended to a maximum of 8 levels.
The Ontario Pay Equity Office is thrilled to announce the return of Level the Paying Field, the podcast and YouTube series dedicated to important conversations around economics, equity, women, work, and money.
The Office of the Pay Equity Commissioner at the Canadian Human Rights Commission has been actively working to promote fair compensation practices among federally regulated employers. Here are some key updates from the past few months:1.September 3, 2024 Deadline: Employers who became subject to the Pay Equity Act on August 31, 2021 were required to post their first pay equity plan by September 3, 2024. This milestone marks a significant step towards ensuring equal pay for work of equal value for all employees.
Over recent years, the Australian Government has made legislative reforms to ensure the workplace relations system works better for women. Historically, the structures that set out Australians' rights at work and govern how workplace relations decisions are made had not been designed to consider the unique experiences of women. Women are more likely to work in industries and in jobs with less security and less pay. This has made it much more difficult for women to use these structures to support their claims for equal pay and conditions such as flexible work.
In the last century, women's sports have made significant strides. Previously barred from the Olympics, women now participate in every event, fueling the expansion and enthusiasm in women’s professional sports leagues. While these advancements are celebrated, the gender wage gap persists in sports, with female athletes earning less than their male counterparts. Challenges like unequal pay and limited sponsorship opportunities continue to affect women’s sports, causing female athletes' financial compensation to lag men.
September 18, 2024 — London and New YorkIn an unprecedented move to combat pay inequality, a group of salary transparency platforms — Levels.fyi, Real Salary, Salary Transparent Street and WorkVue —have joined forces on International Equal Pay Day 2024 to launch a campaign aimed at empowering employees with real-time pay data.
In the age of automation, the world of work is changing at a rapid pace – and so is pay. This presents a challenge to ensure workers have insights and data available so they can adapt and thrive in an evolving world of work and make more informed career choices, including when it comes to pay. Technologies are needed to analyse data to empower workers with insights about pay, skills, and work trends so they can take charge of their own future of work.
New commitments to strengthen the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) and the campaign for equal pay for women and men were made on the sidelines of July’s G20 meetings in Brazil.BRAZIL (ILO News) – Chile and Turkey have committed to joining the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) and two more countries have agreed to increase efforts to close their national gender pay gaps.
To celebrate International Equal Pay Day, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) held a high-level event on 18 September 2024 at UN Women in New York, New York. The event reflected on progress made and importantly, what still needs to be done to achieve equal pay for work of equal value. Speakers from international organizations, the sports industry, government and employers’ and workers’ organizations shared how they’ve successfully moved the needle in their sectors through different policies, initiatives and tools.
Following the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the OECD welcomed Iceland’s Prime Minister Mr. Bjarni Benediktsson as well as experts and World Champion and Olympic athletes for an engaging discussion on gender equality and pay equity in sports, ahead of International Equal Pay Day. Speakers reflected on progress made so far, the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and practical approaches to ensuring fair pay for women athletes. The event featured: - Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD
In 2018, Novartis became the first pharmaceutical company to join the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC). The organization made four initial commitments to achieve gender balance in management and ensure pay equity and transparency for all employees globally. India was one of the final countries to roll out pay transparency in time for pay conversations at the start of this year. Today we unveil the behind-the-scenes of this seismic social and business change.
Logib pay system, a tool developed by the Swiss Federal Office for Gender Equality, has been awarded the "EPIC Good Practice" label. This recognition highlights Logib's effectiveness in helping companies establish transparent and systematic pay practices. Logib uses a job evaluation method which takes requirements and demands of job functions into account to design a clear and structured pay system in order to reduce the risk of pay discrimination.
Join Marion Reimers, a Mexican sports journalist, analyst, and television host, as well as a UN Women goodwill ambassador, to learn more about pay equity in the world of sports.
The 2024 OECD Forum on Gender Equality, held on 10-11 June 2024 in Paris, brought together over 450 High-Level government officials and participants from OECD members and partner countries, civil society, the private sector, and international organisations, to address the urgent need for advancing gender equality amid significant global transitions in green energy, digitalisation, and sustainable growth.
The Canadian pay equity and pay transparency landscape has evolved in recent years. In 2021, the nation’s new Pay Equity Act became effective, and since then some provinces have introduced their own pay equity and/or pay transparency regulations. Our pay equity experts have created a free comprehensive e-book to help Canadian employers navigate the new legislation, with details about the Pay Equity Act, each province’s key requirements, which employers they apply to, and much more!
By the Office of the Pay Equity Commissioner, Canadian Human Rights Commission Canada’s Pay Equity Commissioner’s 2023-2024 Annual Report to Parliament: Paving the way to pay equity is available in the publication’s section of our website.
During the first quarter of 2024, the global parliamentary community renewed commitment and built its capacity to advance gender equality through women’s economic empowerment. The 2024 IPU-UN Women Annual Parliamentary meeting on the occasion of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women took place on 12 March 2024. Bringing together 113 parliamentarians from 38 countries, the meeting served as a platform to debate on the indispensable role of parliamentarians in addressing poverty from a gender perspective.
On February 2, 2024, the Government of Canada launched Equi’Vision, a new website that provides easily comparable data on representation rates and pay gaps of the four designated groups under Canada’s Employment Equity Act:womenIndigenous peoplespersons with disabilitiesmembers of visible minoritiesThe Act requires employers to:
Pay Equity Unit of the Canadian Human Rights Commission is thrilled to announce the launch of a free pay equity online course in partnership with Téluq University: Achieving pay equity in federally regulated organizations: why and how?
Australia has released the latest results of its 2022-23 Employer Census, demonstrating a 1.1 percentage point drop in the total remuneration average gender pay gap over the last year. The Gender Equality Scorecard, published on 28 November, is an annual report published by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) providing an update on the state of workplace gender equality in Australia.
These commitments are expected to provide momentum in addressing the significant pay disparities between men and women, with initiatives ranging from funding apprenticeship programs to expanding pay transparency efforts.NEW YORK (ILO News) – The United States, Iceland, UN agencies, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other organizations pledged to reduce the gender pay gap at an event on 18 September at the UN General Assembly in New York, organized by the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC).
UN Women East and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) launched the report ‘Why Women Earn Less: Gender Pay Gap and Other Labour Market Inequalities in East and Southern Africa’. This is a landmark study that sheds light on the persistent challenges women face in the labour market across the region.
Equality at work was a key area of focus of a parliamentary roundtable that brought together 35 members of parliament from 23 countries on 22 June 2023. During the roundtable, organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), MPs joined forces in a pledge to revitalize action to uphold women’s rights.The roundtable was organized as part of the year-long Human Rights 75 Initiative to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
In June of this year, Lori Straznicky was appointed as Pay Equity Commissioner for a term of five years. She is enthusiastic about continuing to work with federally regulated employers who are leading the way in making pay equity a reality for women in Canada.The gender wage gap remains a persistent issue in Canada, and it is imperative that we confront it head-on. In 2022, women over 15 years of age were still earning, on average, 0.87 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts.
In the past quarter, PayAnalytics has made strides in helping employers across the world chart a course toward achieving and maintaining pay equity. Our pay equity solution has touched the lives of over 1 million employees, and our reach has continued to expand into Canada where recent partnership with consultancies have propelled pay transparency forward, signifying the increasing momentum of pay equity.
Creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces is a priority for many organizations worldwide. Yet the legislative contexts governing the starting points or the limits of DE&I efforts differ from country to country.In our recent EquiNations overview, we present a snapshot of the DE&I legislative contexts across the 20 countries with the highest number of currently EDGE Certified organizations.
Australia marked Equal Pay Day on 23 August 2023. This internationally recognised day symbolised the 56 days into the new financial year that women must work to earn the same, on average, as men did last year because of Australia’s gender pay gap.
From 1 July 2023, the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Protecting Worker Entitlements) Act 2023 provides stronger access to unpaid parental leave so that employees can use their leave in the way that best suits their families, and encourages better sharing of work and caring responsibilities.The changes increased flexibility by:
On 11 September 2023, the OECD Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) and the Equal Pay International Coalition (
This year, PayAnalytics has made strides in helping employers across the world chart a course toward achieving and maintaining pay equity. Now, our pay equity software solution has touched the lives of over 1 million employees in 75 countries, a milestone for our organization and a testament to the transformative power of our pay equity technology.
On June 27, 2023, Minister of Labour Seamus O’Regan Jr. announced the appointment of Lori Straznicky as Canada’s new federal pay equity commissioner. She will be appointed to the role at the Canadian Human Rights Commission effective November 1, 2023, for a term of five years. Ms. Straznicky stepped in as interim commissioner in November 2022, providing oversight in the Government’s work to strengthen pay equity in Canada. As Minister O’Regan highlighted:
Exploring topics related to economics, equity, women, work and wage equity, in this season of Level the Paying Field, the Pay Equity Office of Ontario (PEO) convenes leading experts and renowned researchers to uncover the hidden biases that contribute to unexplained pay gaps.“Gender bias is pervasive in our society” says Kadie Ward, Commissioner and CAO of the Pay Equity Office. “From who does what work, to parenting, to unpaid care work, we can see gender coded expectations everywhere and these create inequalities generally and in the labour market.”
Australia has enacted extensive workplace relations reforms with a strong focus on gender equality. The Secure Jobs Better Pay Act 2022 introduces a range of important changes to Australia’s workplace relations system.Secure work and gender equality
Australia is taking significant steps towards closing the gender pay gap, with new legislation addressing both the direct and indirect discrimination women face in the workplace. Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023 On 30 March 2023, the Australian Parliament passed the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023.
There is action on fair pay: The United Nations declared equality to be the most important cross-cutting issue of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. New equal pay laws have been passed or already implemented in many countries around the world. In Brussels, a new EU directive was adopted that will soon ensure more sanctions and the long overdue reversal of the burden of proof in European companies.
2023’s Equal Pay Day Campaign motto is: The Art of Equal Pay. The German gender pay gap in arts and culture is at a staggering 30 percent. It shows the structural causes of the gender pay gap across society (18%) as if through a magnifying glass.Particularly in the arts, whether performing arts, visual arts, dance, or music, we may think it is all about ability and maybe negotiating skills. These are individual challenges, right? If that were true, women would have solved the problem long ago.
A new analysis published by Ontario’s Pay Equity Office (PEO) finds women in Canada, on average, received 18% less retirement income than men in 2020. This gap is three percent higher than the 15% gap observed in 1976, the earliest year for which data is available (Statistics Canada). While this Gender Pension Gap (GPG) has fluctuated over the decades, it has not narrowed.
As you may know, Karen Jensen has recently left the Pay Equity Unit as she has been appointed Judge to Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice. We would like to acknowledge the outstanding work Commissioner Jensen has done over the last three years and congratulate her on her new role.
As Canada is approaching its one-year anniversary of being Chair of the EPIC Steering Committee, I would like to highlight some of the considerable achievements accomplished by the Coalition over the last 12 months.
Gender equality in the world of work, including equal pay for work of equal value, is a crucial boost to the sustainable development of a country and the empowerment of individuals.
In this regional conference organised by the Equal Pay International Coalition on October 26, 2022, governments, employers, workers, and their organisations from the Asia/Pacific region shared their experiences, policies, and practices to make equal pay between women and men for work of equal value a reality, with a particular focus on pay transparency. The agenda of the conference is available at the end of this page. Context: gender labour market gaps across Asia and the Pacific are persistent
With the corporate program “Promoting Equal Pay – Advising, Supporting, Strengthening Businesses”, the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth supports companies in developing strategies to strengthen their “fair pay goals”.
by PayAnalyticsThe 2022 German HR Management Prizes (Personalwirtschaftspreis) were awarded in Cologne at the beginning of September. Allianz, a global insurance company based in Germany, won the first prize in the HR Tech and Digital category for its global approach to closing the equal pay gap globally. This project ensures equal pay for over 100,000 employees in more than 70 countries, meaning that at Allianz insurance companies women and men are paid equally for equal or comparable work.
The importance of closing gender pay gaps is widely recognized by governments, workers’ organizations, and employers as good practice in supporting stronger economic and social outcomes. Making a commitment to pay equity isn’t just about doing the right thing. It can help employers grow a better, more innovative, and more profitable business. But it can be hard to know where to start.
The Pay Equity Act celebrated the one-year anniversary of its coming-into-force on August 31, 2022. This means that employers who are subject to the Act have two years left to develop and post their final pay equity plans.To support federally regulated businesses with this task, the Pay Equity Unit at the Canadian Human Rights Commission has been busy producing resources and tools, answering questions, establishing processes and raising awareness about pay equity.
The Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) used the occasion of International Equal Pay Day 2022 to highlight some of the pay transparency measures being implemented in different parts of the world, including various tools and responses to key questions.
For more than 40 years, the Gold Quill Awards of the International Association of Business Communicators have recognized communications work from around the world that soars above the average, taking public communication to new heights.
Dr. Zara Nanu, CEO and Co-Founder of Gapsquare, part of XpertHR, was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours list in recognition of her services on tackling global workplace inequalities and promoting fairness and inclusion.
A press release by Ministry of Labour and Workforce Development of PanamaAs a post-pandemic strategy for the economic reactivation of the country, representatives of Government, labour and employer sector, presented this Monday, April 25, 2022, the National Plan for Equal Pay 2022-2025 of the Republic of Panama, being the outcome of shared work between government entities with the technical support of UN Women and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
On the occasion of the 66th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, an online panel discussion on Equal Work, Equal Pay: Reducing the Gender Pay Gap was organized as a side event by the UN’s Civil Society Youth Team.
The Government of Canada organized a virtual side event on March 22, 2022, in collaboration with the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), and co-sponsored by the United Kingdom, during the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW66).
“Danone launched, in 2017, One Planet One Health, a frame of action that reflects its strong belief that people’s and the planet’s health are interconnected. This frame of action drives our approach to doing business, with a strong focus on local relevance and anchoring with our purpose of bringing health through food to as many people as possible. Inclusion, Equity and Diversity is part of our 2030 Company Goals. It resonates with our Brands, creating an impact inside and outside Danone together with our partners.
Under new Chairmanship – the Government of Canada – EPIC’s Steering Committee met virtually for three hours on Thursday 17th February 2022, to deliberate a range of far-reaching issues. The meeting started with a discussion on the progress made and challenges experienced, in implementing the 2021 Plan of Work. Notably EPIC welcomed six new members in 2021, but regrettably, as a result of the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic, two of its smaller members were forced to cease operations.
Join Rakesh Patry, Director General, of International and Intergovernmental Labour Affairs, for the Government of Canada’s Department of Employment and Social Development, and Chair of the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) to learn more about equal pay for work of equal value, and his vision for the world’s only global coalition which stands united against the gender wage gap.
On 13 December, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) held the fourth and final virtual session of its members-only annual technical meeting. During the meeting’s two panel discussions, EPIC members from across sectors highlighted pay equity tools and policies, and various challenges these actors face in achieving equal pay for work of equal value in the private sector, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The session concluded with highlights from EPIC’s work for equal pay in 2021 and a send-off by the Coalition’s previous Chair, Dr.
2021 has been an eventful year for Gapsquare in the best possible way! There have been many successes, some big, some small but all equally important. Let’s walk through some of them… we grew our team, positioned for global scale, and got very serious about innovating Equal Pay.
In 2021, the Canadian Human Rights Commission continued to develop tools and guidance to help federally regulated employers take a proactive approach to correct gender wage gaps within their organization.Women need support now more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to amplify pre-existing gender inequities, especially for racialized women, Indigenous women, migrant women, women with low-income, single mothers, LGBTQ2SI+ women and women with disabilities or mental health issues.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently released a new report, Pay Transparency Tools to Close the Gender Wage Gap, which looks at the ways OECD countries are requiring companies to reveal the existence and size of pay inequity among employees. This is the first OECD-wide stocktaking of pay transparency measures, and the report finds a high level of commitment and policy momentum across countries trying to close the gender wage gap.
On 18 November, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) held the third of four virtual sessions of its members-only annual technical meeting. The meeting focused on countries’ recovery plans for more gender equality at work, as well as on the impact of COVID-19 on the private sector.During the first part of the discussions, representatives from governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, and international organizations, highlighted the gendered impacts of the pandemic on the labour market and provided relevant policy examples supporting a gender inclusive recovery:
In 2016, Swiss Federal Councillor Minister Alain Berset launched the Charter for Equal Pay in the Public Sector. Strengthening the political commitment of the cantons, communes and state-associated organizations is a necessary step towards the achievement of the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.
Switzerland, represented by Dr. Sylvie Durrer, Director of the Federal Office for Gender Equality, has chaired the Steering Committee of EPIC since the launch of the coalition in 2017. Sylvie Durrer is now passing on the torch to Rakesh Patry, Director General of International Affairs Canada.As outgoing Chair, Sylvie Durrer states
On 20 and 22 October, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) held the first two of four virtual sessions of its members-only annual technical meeting. The two remaining sessions will be held on 18 November and 13 December.
By: Karen A. Jensen (Canada’s Federal Pay Equity Commissioner)
The COVID-19 crisis had a near-immediate effect on women’s employment, with mass lay-offs and furloughs falling disproportionately on industries that employ women. Women make up 39% of global employment but account for 54% of overall job losses. The ILO estimates that there will be 13 million fewer women in employment in 2021 compared to before the pandemic, while the number of men in work will likely recover at pre-pandemic levels.[1]
By: Thea Lee, Wendy Chun-Hoon
On 6 September 2021, the world’s top women legislators gathered in Vienna for the 13th Summit of Women Speakers of Parliament, hosted by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Parliament of Austria and the United Nations. The Summit was held on the occasion of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament.
We are pleased to inform you that the EPIC legal database is now complete. It provides information on equal remuneration for work of equal value set out in national law and practice using the provisions of the ILO’s Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) as a benchmark. The database collects information on whether the domestic legal framework mandates equal remuneration for work of equal value, has wage transparency and minimum wage laws.
An intergenerational dialogue on closing the gender pay gap for Generation Equality – Tuesday, 29 June 2021
Laws on pay transparency in Switzerland, France, and the UK, the long-awaited EU draft directive for more transparency, and a strengthening of the right to “Equal Pay for work of equal value” at the European Court of Justice – in the shadow of the pandemic, there has been some encouraging momentum for fair pay. But what is the current state of play? How does this all affect countries and companies? And what needs to be done now?
An intergenerational dialogue on closing the gender pay gap for Generation Equality, Tuesday 29 June 2021
Canada has been a proud member of the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) since its launch at the UN General Assembly in September 2017. Moreover, Canada will be honoured to take on the role of Chair of the EPIC Steering Committee beginning in January 2022.
On 1 March 2021, the Confederation of Employers of Ukraine presented the Guidance on Gender Equality and Non-discrimination for Employers.According to Oleksii Miroshnychenko, Confederation’s Executive Vice President, “the Guidance, developed with support from the International Labour Organization in Ukraine, is aimed at assisting employers in practical implementation of the rather complicated and diverse Ukrainian legislation on gender issues and non-discrimination”.
Taina Bofferding, the Minister for Equality between women and men, explains why Luxembourg has decided to join the coalition and why gender equality matters to the country.Why has equal pay for work of equal value become one of the priorities of the Luxembourg public policy agenda?Equal pay for women and men is an essential factor in Luxembourg’s public policies to ensure that the work of all is recognised. When we commit ourselves to equality between women and men, there are several aspects for me as a socialist minister:
As part of the 65th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the Fair Pay Innovation Lab teamed up with PES Women, Foundation for European Progressive Studies and Foundation Jean-Jaurès to organize a virtual Fair Pay Political Roundtable on March 16, 2021.
Over the past year, the EPIC Secretariat has been very encouraged to see its membership growing in spite of the pandemic. This demonstrates the importance and commitment that is being placed on taking concrete action towards valuing women’s work, whether at home or on the COVID-19 frontlines. Raising awareness, sharing and disseminating knowledge information on latest initiatives and programmes is central to EPIC’s work in supporting its members.
On the 17th of March 2021, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) launched its Equal Pay Around the World Database. The database is a repository of national legal and policy resources. It provides information on countries’ obligations to international treaties, their equal pay legislation, whether they have transparency and minimum wage policies in place, information on their collective bargaining frameworks and other relevant information on national plans and legal reforms.
The Government of Switzerland in collaboration with the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), organized a virtual side event on March 17, 2021 on the margins of the 65th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65).
Join national and academic experts to discuss how new pay transparency and auditing measures are helping to promote equal pay – and what steps are still needed to close the gender wage gap on Tuesday March 23 from 3pm to 4:30PM CEST. Featuring:• Unner Orradóttir Ramette, Ambassador of Iceland• Patric Aeberhard, Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA of Switzerland
Side Event on Achieving equal pay for women and men at the 65th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65)
Side Event organized by the Government of Switzerland in collaboration with the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) at the 65th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW65)The sixty-fifth session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place from 15 to 26 March 2021. In light of the evolving COVID-19 situation, and taking into account the latest guidance from the United Nations Secretary-General and the World Health Organization (WHO), CSW65 will take place in a hybrid format with mostly virtual meetings.
At the annual EPIC Steering Committee meeting, Canada agreed to take the role of Chair of the EPIC Steering Committee from January 2022. Representing the out-going Chair Switzerland, Sylvie Durrer thanked the members of the Steering Committee for the trust placed in her over the past three years and looks forward to supporting Canada as it transitions into its new role.
At the end of 2019 Confederation of Employers of Ukraine (hereafter – CEU) joined Equal Pay International Coalition and became the first organization from Ukraine and the first EO in the world, affiliated to EPIC.
In spite of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, EPIC’s membership continues to grow. In 2020, the following 12 new members joined the Coalition, demonstrating a genuine and proven commitment to achieving equal pay for work of equal value and lowering the gender pay gap. GovernmentsGeorgia, Italy, Tunisia, Ukraine Employers’ organisations and private sector
According to the new Global Wage Report for 2020/2021 launched by the International Labour Office on December 2020, not all workers have been equally affected by the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Understanding wage differences between migrants and nationals analysing how migrant wages have evolved in 49 countries before the COVID-19 Pandemic Labour migration can be an important vehicle for development, when it is fair, well-governed and allows migrant workers to access decent work. The world counts an estimated 164 million migrant workers, almost half of them women. They comprise 4.7 per cent of the global workforce and contribute enormously to societies’ growth and development.
Waiting 217 Years or Acting Now? Saving the Date or Accelerating the Move?When: Monday 11 March 2019 | 18:30–19:45Where: Conference Room 7, UN Headquarters in New York
The first ever International Equal Pay Day on 18 September 2020 came at a time when the world of work is changing profoundly. COVID-19 and its economic fallout is posing new and unprecedented challenges to women’s participation in the workforce: • Globally, 40 per cent of all employed women work in the hardest-hit sectors; • With large scale childcare and school closures, lockdowns, and heightened elderly care needs, women have shouldered the brunt of the unpaid care burden; and
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and more specifically SDG 5 and 8.5 aim at achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls by 2030. Ensuring equal pay for work of equal value is a key component of these and thus part of every country’s international commitment.
Equal pay is one of the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which recognizes its key to inclusive growth and poverty reduction. Sustainable Development Goal 8 calls for the promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth; full and productive employment; and decent work for all. Equal pay is also addressed in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) as one of the indicators for women’s empowerment. Georgia has committed to fulfilling the obligations indicated by these international instruments.
On the occasion of the first International Equal Pay Day, and in the midst of the fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) is hosting a virtual global Call to Action encouraging all labour market actors to take the necessary steps to ensure that equal pay is at the heart of recovery efforts worldwide. Speakers Moderated by Nozipho Tshabalala. Panellists:
Gender equality is a fundamental human right as well as a cornerstone of a prosperous, modern economy that generates sustainable inclusive growth. Gender equality is essential for ensuring that men and women can contribute fully at home, at work and in public life, for the advancement of societies and economies at large.
By Hazel Lush (Gapsquare)
By Megan O’Donnell (Center for Global Development), Ania Calderon (Open Data Charter) and Callie Strickland (The B Team) With an estimated 250+ years until the world reaches economic gender parity, gender pay gaps have proven tough to close. As these gaps are symptoms of broader structural inequalities, they cannot be addressed in isolation or with quick fixes.
In February 2020 , in collaboration with the Government of Germany, EPIC organised a meeting for its members including representatives from governments, workers and employers organizations, civil society organizations. Approximately 65 participants came together to understand the impact and challenges of implementing measures aimed at reducing the gender pay gap. Over the two-day event, participants discussed how wage transparency policies aimed at addressing longstanding gender wage gaps have been gaining momentum over the past few years.
“The government of Switzerland is proud that LOGIB has been labeled as an EPIC good practice” says Sylvie Durrer, Director of the Federal Office for Gender Equality (FOGE).
It’s the biggest blatant robbery that happens everywhere for which no-one takes responsibility!” The words of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka (UN Women Executive Director) at the Commission on the Status of Women #CSW63 in 2019 serve as a reminder that a lot remains to be done in promoting equal pay for equal value of work.
On November 15 2019, the third Committee at the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly adopted resolution (A/C37/74/L.49) proclaiming 18 September as International Equal Pay Day. Introducing the resolution to the committee were Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) members’ Iceland with the support of, Australia, Canada, Germany, Panama, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland. The resolution was co-sponsored by a total of 105 member states.
At the 41st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) steering committee member Iceland and other core members, Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Panama, South Africa and Switzerland, initiated a resolution on equal pay. Recommending that the General Assembly declare an international equal payday to celebrate the efforts to achieve equal pay for work of equal value and to urge further action for the goal of equal pay for work of equal value for all.
When: 22 March 2019 | 13:15–14:30Where: International Conference Centre Geneva
An EPIC Technical MeetingWhen: 2–3 April 2019Where: Harpa concert hall and conference centre, Reykjavik, IcelandThe Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) invites to a technical meeting on promoting better indicators, statistics, data and policies to reduce the gender pay gap.The objectives of the meeting are threefold:
Side Event during the 63rd Session of the Commission on the Status of WomenDate: Wednesday, March 13, 2019 from 11:00am to 12:30pmWhere: SAP Office, 10 Hudson Yards, Designers Space – 48th floor in the Leonardo Center, New York
The International Labour Office has launched its Global Wage Report for 2018/2019. The report focuses on two main challenges: how to find the most useful means for measurement, and how to break down the gender pay gap in ways that best inform policy-makers and social partners of the factors that underlie it. The report also includes a review of key policy issues regarding wages and the reduction of gender pay gaps in different national circumstances. Some members of the EPIC Steering Committee provided valuable inputs and comments to the report.
More than 400 Government, Employers’ and Workers’ delegates from 35 countries of the Americas gathered in Panama City on Thursday 4th October 2018 for an Information Session entitled Progress and Challenges in Closing the Gender Pay Gap and other Gender-based Gaps within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Framework. The session was organized by the International Labour Office, on the occasion of its 19th American Regional Meeting which took place from 2-5 October 2018.The objectives of the session were to:
What is the gender pay gap, what measures and policies can be made to tackle it and what is EPIC?Learn more about EPIC in this video (English):French:
On the 26 of September 2018, global leaders from governments, private sector companies, trade unions and civil society pledged to take concrete action towards closing the gender pay gap by 2030. The global commitments – to ensure women in every sector of the workforce are paid equally to men for doing work of equal value – were made at the Equal Pay International Coalition Pledging event held during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Introduction One year after the launch of EPIC, global leaders, including Heads of State, CEOs of multinational companies, Heads of employers’ and workers’ organizations, and representatives of renowned universities and civil society organizations will come together in to publicly demonstrate their commitment to work together under the EPIC umbrella.
A Steering Committee has been established to ensure that EPIC operates credibly, effectively and strategically and to facilitate strategic coherence at the global, regional and national levels. Specifically it will guide EPIC’s activities, and provide direction and leadership on action to reduce the gender pay gap and achieve equal pay for work of equal value.The first official meeting of the Steering Committee was convened, on 23 May 2018 at the ILO’s headquarters in Geneva.
A high level event was organized at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday 18th September 2017, during the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly. The purpose of the event was to launch the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), a global coalition which will collaborate at the global, regional and national levels to support governments, employers, workers and other stakeholders to make equal pay between women and men for work of equal value a reality, and reduce the gender pay gap.
The meeting hosted by the German Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, and supported by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, was organized to provide key stakeholders with the opportunity to shape EPIC’s operational and strategic directions.