This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Choose to Challenge’. We asked colleagues across our organisation what this means to them:

Jacqui Siggers, People Director: 

“No matter where we come from, we grow up in a society and culture that has ‘norms’ of behaviour and rules about what is appropriate for girls and for boys as well as what jobs women and men can do. We are not always conscious of this bias but because of it, girls and women and the work women traditionally do, can often be less valued. In addition, boys and men can suffer too, with assumptions made that can deny them the freedom to choose the path in life that would allow them to realise their full potential.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nicola McDonald, Technical Solutions Helpdesk and Admin Manager:

“Choose to challenge because everybody everywhere deserves to be treated equally and nobody should be undervalued, undermined or underestimated.”

 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Zoe Goldsmith, Health and Safety Advisor/Officer:

“We choose to challenge for equal promotions and advancement, equal pay/wages, equal rights, equal abilities, equal benefits and privileges, equal opportunities to voice opinions, and an equal hiring process.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pen Le Kelly, Engagement and Communication Business Partner:

“If we don’t challenge, then how are we going to see progress? If something appears bias, then we need to call it out without the fear of it being laughed at or told to go away as ‘that’s how it’s always been’.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Katie Martin, PA to Managing Director:

“I think choosing to challenge is important as it doesn’t matter what gender you are, as long as you do a good job that’s the main thing!”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Samantha Follington, Head of People and Talent:

“It is important to empower people regardless of their gender. Many leaders around the world remain male and are not subject to the same criticism as females. Gender should not determine the value of a person. A person’s efforts, contributions and ability to lead will define them.”

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

About our workforce

2gether’s overall workforce is 54% female (as at 31^st March 2020). Five out of our eight directors are female, our executive team is also predominantly female.

Gender pay gap at 2gether

The mean gender pay gap for 2020 is 2.09% compared to 3.7% in 2019.

The vast majority of organisations have a gender pay gap, and we are pleased to be able to say that 2gether Support Solution’s gap compares favourably with that of other organisations, including those within our industry.

The mean gender pay gap for the whole economy (according to the November 2020 ONS Gender Pay Gap report figures*) is 15.5%, while in the caring, leisure and other service occupations it is 6.2%. At 2.09%, 2gether Support Solutions’ mean gender pay gap is, therefore, significantly lower than both that for the whole economy and that for our sector.

While 2gether Support Solutions’ gender pay gap compares favourably with that of organisations both across the whole UK economy and within the service sector, this is not a subject that we are complacent about, and we are committed to doing everything that we can to reduce the gap.

If you want to know more, take a look at the full Gender Pay Gap Report.