Qantas CEO says companies can do a lot to bring about gender equality more quickly

Qantas CEO says companies can do a lot to bring about gender equality more quickly
By Christian Fleetwood


Participating in the UN Global Compact at a roundtable of international business leaders, Alan Joyce has said that companies can do a lot to bring about gender equality more quickly.

The event at UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday occurred on the sidelines of the Commission on the Status of Women  – a UN initiative to bridge the international ‘gender digital divide’ – and brought together business leaders from around the world to find ways to address the current blocks to gender equality.

The UN Global Compact is a voluntary initiative based on a set of CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles.

At this stage the initiative has secured the support of more than 12,000 signatories from companies in over 160 countries around the world, including Qantas.

Speaking to UN News after the CEO summit,  Joyce said that in an industry with strong gender stereotypes, Qantas has attempted to change perceptions by prioritising images of female pilots and male cabin crew.

The company has also set an ambitious target to reach gender parity among the company’s new pilot intake within 10 years. UN News also reported that Joyce accepted that wider changes in society would be needed to achieve these goals.

The United Nations has said that only 13 per cent of those taking the required subjects to become a pilot are women.

“There is no point in blaming government or society for the slow pace of change, when the private sector can do a lot to influence change,” Joyce said.

The UN Global Compact also addressed the backlash and resistance to gender quality initiatives, identifying several reasons for the negative reaction, including: a lack of understanding of the issue, industry norms, where there is a persistent belief that some industries are better suited to either men or women, and fear of a loss of opportunities, status and position if there are gains made by women in the workplace.

Travel Weekly is a publication that aims to champion the achievements of under-represented demographics in the travel industry.

Travel Weekly’s Women in Travel Awards is an event that recognises women who have achieved astronomical success in travel, celebrating their invaluable contribution through leadership, innovation and courage in the travel industry.

You can submit your Women in Travel Awards entry here, and/or nominate a peer here. However, before you get going, make sure you read the following crucial information:

  • The deadline for entries is Friday 12 April 2019 at 5pm (AEST).
  • You are eligible to enter more than one category, as long as the work submitted meets the criteria.
  • Previous Women in Travel award winners are eligible to enter again.
  • Peer and self-nominations are accepted.
  • Judging is done by a panel of industry experts and entries are given a score out of 100.
  • Please ensure all details are entered accurately, and please include entrants profile photo (in Attachment tab), as this will be used for the awards presentation. For those entering the Employer category, please include a team photo.
  • All entrants and finalists must purchase a ticket to attend the awards night.

This year, the Women in Travel Awards are being held on Thursday 20 June at Doltone House – Hyde Park in Sydney. Click here to secure your spot and take advantage of the early bird ticket price.

Here are the key dates to mark down in your calendar:

Entries open: Monday 18 February 2019 (today)

Early bird tickets on sale: Monday 18 February 2019 (today)

Entries close: Friday 12 April 2019 at 5pm (AEST)

Judging period: Monday 15 April to Friday 10 May 2019

Awards shortlist announced: Wednesday 15 May 2019

Early bird ticket sale closes: Wednesday 22 May 2019 at 5pm (AEST)

Full-price tickets on sale: Friday 24 May until sold out

Awards night: Thursday 20 June 2019 at Doltone House – Hyde Park

P.S. Please save your Women in Travel Awards entry in a Word doc in case so many of you jump onto the awards portal that it crashes. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Stay tuned for plenty more info on the awards in the coming weeks and months.

For all Women in Travel Awards enquiries, email Nicolle Lawson at nicolle@travelweekly.com.au.

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