Pay Equity Impacts Everyone

By Tracy Burns, NEHRA CEO

On March 28, I was privileged to attend the signing of Boston’s 100% Talent Compact. Flanked by leaders from across all major industries in the Greater Boston area, I listened to Mayor Marty Walsh reiterate the mission of the Compact, which is:

To make Greater Boston the premier place for working women in America, by closing the wage gap and removing visible and invisible barriers to women’s advancement. By doing so, we will build a more equitable workforce where all talent is cultivated and valued.

Over the past three years, the Mayor, in partnership with the Women’s Workforce Council have created a clear list of goals for the Compact, including:

Goal 1: Understanding the Root Causes of The Wage Gap: Employers will commit to understanding the gender wage gap and the underlying causes that contribute to the gap.

Goal 2: Closing the Gap: Employers will review the evidence-based interventions in the Council’s report, conduct a self-assessment of any interventions they have already implemented internally, and implement or undertake to improve three interventional tailored to their workplace.

Goal 3: Evaluating Success: Employers agree to participate in a biennial review to discuss successes and challenges, as well as contribute data to a report compiled by a third-party on the Compact’s success to date.

The business-driven, first in the nation Compact is a result of many talented and passionate people not just "doing the right thing" but also recognizing that when we pay women what they deserve, we strengthen our economy, our families and our city. In an effort to challenge the cultural barriers to pay equity, there is a big focus on data; having a diverse group of over 100 companies (including NEHRA) who’ve signed the Compact, will allow for the collection real time data and the implementation of research-tested interventions.

If you’ve not signed the Compact, I would encourage you to do so. To learn more, go to http://www.cityofboston.gov/women/workforce/compact.asp