Qantas CEO says companies can do a lot to bring about gender equality more quickly
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.
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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).
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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
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alan joyce qantas united nations United Nations Global Compact Women in Travel Awards 2019Latest News
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