EDGE Strategy announces the appointment of Yishai Pinchover as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective September 1st, 2024. This strategic hire aligns with the company’s ongoing expansion of its suite of DE&I tools, which includes its recently launched pay equity analysis solution.
Yishai brings substantial experience in operational leadership, business development, and technology innovation to EDGE Strategy. As the co-founder and former COO of CodeMonkey, an EdTech platform later acquired by TAL Education Group, he successfully scaled the company’s reach to over 10 million students worldwide, demonstrating his ability to make a global impact.
Aniela Unguresan, Founder and CEO of EDGE Strategy, comments on the appointment: “Yishai’s expertise in scaling operations and driving business growth aligns well with our strategic objectives. His innovative approach and proven track record will be valuable as we continue to expand our global impact and support organisations in leveraging DE&I as a core pillar of their sustainable success.”
Regarding his new role, Yishai Pinchover states: “I am pleased to join EDGE Strategy at this important juncture. The company’s dedication to fostering workplace equity through innovative solutions is commendable. I look forward to optimising operations, accelerating business development, and expanding the reach of EDGE’s software platform across industries and borders.”
This appointment underscores EDGE Strategy’s commitment to operational excellence, business growth, and continuous innovation in DE&I solutions. With Yishai’s leadership and the company’s expanding portfolio of tools, EDGE is well-positioned to reinforce its role as a global leader in fostering inclusive workplaces and driving positive organisational change.
Yishai concludes, “Our aim is to effect meaningful change in workplace equity and inclusion on a global scale.” This sentiment aligns closely with EDGE Strategy’s mission and marks the beginning of a new phase in the company’s development.
FONPLATA Development Bank, formerly the Río de la Plata Basin Financial Development Fund, is a multilateral financial entity formed by the five countries of this South American sub-region: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It proudly announces achieving the EDGE Assess Certification in 2024, showcasing its commitment to gender equality and an inclusive workplace.
Key Highlights of FONPLATA Development Bank’s Achievements:
Gender Representation: Both genders exceed the threshold for substantive representation (30%) at most levels of responsibility, demonstrating a commitment to equitable representation.
Intersectional Equity: FONPLATA Development Bank also achieved EDGEplus Certification, showing its commitment to investigating intersectionality between gender, age, and nationality through the employee survey.
Core Functions: Women are overrepresented in core functions at top management both in relative and absolute terms, reflecting progress in gender inclusion at higher levels.
Diverse Workforce: The age and nationality diversity within the workforce, especially at junior management levels, underscores FONPLATA Development Bank’s inclusive hiring practices.
While celebrating these successes, FONPLATA Development Bank acknowledges areas for improvement, particularly in addressing gender balance in promotions and hires, and enhancing policies and practices related to pay equity and flexible working. The company remains committed to addressing these challenges and advancing its goal of creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
FONPLATA Development Bank’s Ongoing Commitment
FONPLATA Development Bank remains steadfast in its commitment to gender equality as a fundamental principle and a key driver of sustainable development. Promoting gender balance and empowering women are essential to realizing our mission of fostering inclusive growth and development. FONPLATA Development Bank is dedicated to leading by example within our organization and in the broader financial and development sectors, continually striving to create a workplace where all employees can thrive and contribute to our collective success.
Voices of leadership
Luciana Botafogo, Executive President, FONPLATA Development Bank:“We are thrilled to have achieved the EDGE Assess Certification in 2024, a testament to our ongoing commitment to gender equality and an inclusive workplace. This achievement reflects our collective efforts in promoting equitable opportunities and fair treatment for all our employees. While we celebrate our progress, we recognize the need for continued improvement, particularly in fostering an organizational culture that fully supports gender balance. We are dedicated to addressing these challenges and are confident that with sustained effort, we will achieve even greater milestones in the future.”
Aniela Unguresan, Founder of EDGE Certified Foundation:“Achieving the EDGE Assess Certification is proof of FONPLATA Development Bank’s intentional and prioritized approach to creating a respectful and inclusive workplace. We applaud your leadership and commitment to gender equality, which is essential for fostering sustainable development. FONPLATA Development Bank’s dedication to leading by example is commendable, and we look forward to seeing your continued progress and impact in the years to come.”
About FONPLATA Development Bank
FONPLATA Development Bank is a multilateral financial institution committed to fostering sustainable development and regional integration across Latin America. Established in 1974, FONPLATA plays a pivotal role in financing infrastructure, social development, and environmental sustainability projects that contribute to the economic and social advancement of its member countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. FONPLATA’s approach is based on partnership, flexibility, and innovation. We work closely with our member countries to identify their needs and tailor our financial solutions accordingly. By working closely with national governments, local communities, and international partners, we ensure that our projects align with national priorities and regional goals. Our financing options include loans, guarantees, and technical assistance, which are designed to support a wide range of projects and initiatives. We are committed to transparency, accountability, and the efficient use of resources in all our operations.
For more information about FONPLATA Development Bank and our projects, please visit our website at www.fonplata.org or contact us at .
About EDGE Certification®
EDGE Certification® is the leading global standard for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I), centred on a workplace gender and intersectional equity approach. EDGE Certification® is based on objective and measurable evidence of an organization’s current status of gender and intersectional equity in its workplace. Audited by an approved independent third-party certification body, it supports the integrity and credibility of data and information and gives an organization a powerful way to communicate its DE&I commitment and performance.
The EDGE Standards and the Certification System are built on four pillars that define success in gender and intersectional equity: Representation across the talent pipeline, pay equity, effectiveness of policies and practices, and inclusiveness of the culture. As an integral part of the assessment, statistics, policies and practices, and employee experience are evaluated against the EDGE Standards. Depending on the specific results of each organization, an approved action plan may need to be developed to close identified gaps in the organization.
EDGE Certification® meets organizations where they are in their DE&I journey. For the EDGE (gender-binary) assessment, three levels of certification are possible, EDGE Assess (recognizing commitment), EDGE Move (showcasing progress), and EDGE Lead (celebrating success). EDGEplus Certification (gender and intersectionality) is an add-on to EDGE (gender-binary) Certification, offering organizations the possibility to analyze data and information related to women and men as diversified groups, to deepen their understanding of, and to measure the intersectionality of gender and other aspects of diversity, such as non-binary gender identity and LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, nationality, age, and working with a disability. EDGE Certification® is distinguished by its rigour and focus on impact, it remains valid for a period of two years. For more information and the complete list of EDGE Certified Organizations, visit https://www.edge-cert.org/certified-organizations/
Standard Chartered Sri Lanka recently attained the EDGE Move Certification, the second highest level of certification from EDGE, the leading global assessment and business certification standard for gender equality. Notably, Standard Chartered Sri Lanka is the only organization in the country to have achieved the EDGE Move Certification, underscoring its leadership in fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. Crucial to obtaining this recognition is the company’s use of EDGE Empower®, the tech solution that prepares organizations for EDGE Certification®.
Key findings
The assessment highlighted several of Standard Chartered Sri Lanka’s strengths and identified opportunities for further advancement. In terms of representation, women are more likely to be hired overall, showcasing the bank’s inclusive hiring practices. Moving forward, the focus will be on creating pathways for women’s promotions, particularly into Upper and Top management roles, to ensure balanced leadership. Men and women are well-represented in core functions across all management levels, reflecting strong gender diversity in the bank’s central activities. The next step involves enhancing women’s representation in roles with profit and loss responsibility at Upper and Top management levels.
In terms of pay equity, the results of an unexplained gender pay gap analysis were not included. Standard Chartered Sri Lanka has taken proactive steps to ensure pay equity, which is commendable. A majority of employees, both women (66%) and men (72%) agree that they are fairly compensated for their work, emphasizing the bank’s commitment to fair pay practices.
When considering the effectiveness of policies and practices, the organization exceeds the EDGE Standard of 65% in all 5 areas of analysis.
Continued Commitment
Standard Chartered Sri Lanka is dedicated to building on this achievement by implementing a strategic action plan to address the identified gaps. Key focus areas include maintaining gender parity in critical role succession planning, identifying female talent at the Middle Management level and assisting them to progress into the Senior Management level through structured interventions and continuing to review any gender pay gaps on an annual basis.
Voices of leadership
Mr. Bingumal Thewarathanthri, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Sri Lanka: “We are incredibly proud to achieve the EDGE Move Certification. This recognition reflects our ongoing efforts to create an inclusive workplace where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive. We are committed to addressing the areas identified for improvement and continuing to drive progress in gender equality.”
Aniela Unguresan, Founder of EDGE Certified Foundation:“The EDGE Move Certification achieved by Standard Chartered Sri Lanka exemplifies their intentional and prioritized approach to fostering gender equality in the workplace. This recognition indicates that the organization has not only made a committment to gender equality but has taken concrete steps to transform that commitment into action. We congratulate the Standard Chartered Sri Lanka team on their unwavering dedication to creating an inclusive environment where diversity is deeply integrated into their business practices through accountability, transparency, and independent verification. This achievement showcases how dedicated DE&I efforts can drive significant progress, setting a high standard for the industry.”
About Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered is a leading international cross-border bank, committed to helping people and businesses prosper. Combining deep local expertise with global capabilities, Standard Chartered aims to unlock sustainable, inclusive growth for the communities it serves.
About EDGE Certification®
EDGE Certification® is the leading global standard for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I), centred on a workplace gender and intersectional equity approach. EDGE Certification® is based on objective and measurable evidence of an organization’s current status of gender and intersectional equity in its workplace. Audited by an approved independent third-party certification body, it supports the integrity and credibility of data and information and gives an organization a powerful way to communicate its DE&I commitment and performance.
The EDGE Standards and the Certification System are built on four pillars that define success in gender and intersectional equity: Representation across the talent pipeline, pay equity, effectiveness of policies and practices, and inclusiveness of the culture. As an integral part of the assessment, statistics, policies and practices, and employee experience are evaluated against the EDGE Standards. Depending on the specific results of each organization, an approved action plan may need to be developed to close identified gaps in the organization.
EDGE Certification® meets organizations where they are in their DE&I journey. For the EDGE (gender-binary) assessment, three levels of certification are possible, EDGE Assess (recognizing commitment), EDGE Move (showcasing progress), and EDGE Lead (celebrating success). EDGEplus Certification (gender and intersectionality) is an add-on to EDGE (gender-binary) Certification, offering organizations the possibility to analyze data and information related to women and men as diversified groups, to deepen their understanding of, and to measure the intersectionality of gender and other aspects of diversity, such as non-binary gender identity and LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, nationality, age, and working with a disability. EDGE Certification® is distinguished by its rigour and focus on impact, it remains valid for a period of two years. For more information and the complete list of EDGE Certified Organizations, visit https://www.edge-cert.org/certified-organizations/
As regulations on pay transparency tighten and employee expectations rise, organizations that embrace pay equity and transparency will thrive. With more than one-fourth of the US labour force already covered by salary transparency legislation, and recent strengthened requirements in the EU, the need for action is clear.
Our guide, “A 5-step Guide to Closing the Gender Pay Gap,” is your roadmap to drive real change. Backed by reliable sources and packed with insights and actionable steps, this guide empowers organizations to implement impactful actions that eliminate pay disparities and earn recognition from stakeholders wherever they are in DE&I journey.
In this guide, you will discover a roadmap to close the workplace pay gap in your organization and its milestones:
Establish an authentic policy on equal pay
Measure and address the unexplained gender pay gap
Embrace an intersectional approach to understand how various criteria intersect in pay discrepancies
Develop a clear remediation strategy to build a gender-balanced talent pipeline
Maintain transparent communication to foster conversations around pay equity
Empower line managers to facilitate constructive discussions on pay equity.
The time for change is now!
Click ‘Full guide’ to download your copy of our guide to close the gap
The EDGE and EDGEplus Standards optimize CSRD compliance in DE&I topics and fast-track effective, consistent reporting across regulatory frameworks, using data sourced from HR and DE&I professionals. Whether reporting locally or globally, these standards serve as a robust, unified data source.
Using EDGE and EDGEplus Standards can boost CSRD compliance in DE&I, while offering a single, reliable data source for consistent reporting.
Overview
The EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) has been approved and will require all EU companies to disclose data on the risks, opportunities, and impacts of their activities on people and the environment. This new directive will help ensure that EU companies and subsidiaries of global non-EU firms are transparent and accountable when it comes to their environmental and social impact. The purpose of the CSRD is to strengthen the existing requirements of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD), and to ensure that companies report more detailed and reliable information on all relevant environmental, social and governance elements based on clearly delineated reporting standards.
Who is Impacted?
Listed companies
All large companies – companies with more than 250 employees and more than €40M turnover and/or more than €20M in total assets
Non-EU companies with EU-based subsidiaries, or with securities on EU-regulated markets, which have a net turnover of over €150M within the EU
Listed small and medium enterprises (SMEs) (SMEs have the option to opt out of the directive during a transitional period until 2028)
The Required Timeline
The sustainability reporting rules will start applying between 2024 and 2028.
From 1 January 2024 for large public-interest companies with over 500 employees already subject to the NFRD (with reports due in 2025 based on 2024 fiscal year data)
From 1 January 2025 for large companies that are not presently subject to the NFRD (with reports due in 2026 based on 2025 fiscal year data)
From 1 January 2026 for listed SMEs (with reports due in 2027 based on 2026 fiscal year data). SMEs can opt out until 2028.
In this article, discover how organizations can combat sexual harassment and foster safer, more inclusive work environments by taking on impunity, banning silencing agreements, and championing gender diversity.
In September 2023, a research paper published in the British Journal of Surgery regarding female NHS surgeons revealed:
29.9% had been sexually assaulted
63.3% had been sexually harassed
89.5% had witnessed other staff being sexually harassed.
The reaction to these statistics was widespread shock and incomprehension. But should it be so surprising?
If workplaces are not effectively creating a culture of equality, transparency and accountability, and if they are not putting in place robust anti-harassment policies, then these are the consequences. We can’t simply hope that things change. Hope is not a strategy. We must actively drive change. We must be disruptive.
Clearly, there is work to be done regarding sexual harassment in the workplace. And we need commitment from organizations to analyse and address these challenges with rigour and discipline. To drive sustainable gender equality, reduce harassment and discrimination and ensure fair treatment for victims of harassment and assault, organizations should focus on three key areas:
1. The culture of impunity
A friend recently told me about someone he knows whose CEO was fired for sexual harassment. Everyone knew he had a reputation for “wandering hands”. He even had a nickname that reflected his reputation. And yet everyone within that organization felt that anything they said or did would be pointless; that he would get away with everything.
That is a culture of impunity. And it is sadly all too common.
Sexual harassment cases are very private. And this makes it difficult for organizations to analyse and correct the actions they took. When an employee violates an organization’s code of conduct and is fired, everybody knows why that person was fired (for example for fraud, violent conduct, etc.)
However, when somebody is fired for concerns related to sexual harassment, nobody knows about it unless they are a very public figure – that person simply disappears from one moment to another.
Overcoming this culture of impunity requires organizations to take a strong stance against harassment:
To ensure that appropriate actions are taken regardless of the perpetrator’s status or achievements within the workplace
To create a culture where victims are empowered to speak up without the fear of negative consequences or – as is often the case – complacency.
2. Silencing agreements and private arbitration
In the US, Congress passed a law in late 2022 to ban non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements in cases of sexual harassment. Known as the Speak Out Act, the legislation is part of the government’s reaction to the MeToo movement, and it formally recognizes that silencing agreements feed into the culture of impunity.
However, many organizations assume that silencing agreements are illegal across the UK and Europe when they are not.
On 5 September 2023, the use of non-disclosure agreements in the workplace was debated in UK parliament. During the discussion, MP Peter Grant stated: “I do not think that I have ever seen agreement among so many speakers in a debate.
“[…] there was a time when NDAs were routinely abused between powerful men to cover up each other’s crimes and frauds. Most NDAs now are being used by powerful men to silence and victimize vulnerable women, and that is the abuse of the system that must be dealt with most urgently.”
While it is promising that governments are taking steps to improve the situation, organizations shouldn’t be waiting for silencing agreements to be illegal before restricting their use. Policies must move with the times and organizations must face the consequences if they don’t.
Zelda Perkins, former assistant to disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, summed this up neatly in her June 2023 Financial Times article: “[…] the wall of silence created by NDAs is beginning to crumble. People are speaking to the press out of desperation as businesses fail to deal with the problems. NDAs are now as likely to signpost issues as they are to protect reputations.”
And so, organizational policies must restrict the use of silencing agreements, except when requested by the victim, to ensure accountability and transparency in sexual harassment cases.
There is a similar issue around private arbitration.
Many employees are scared to publicly lose their claim – something many of them assume will happen due to the financial imbalance between them and the corporate defence. As a result, we have seen this emerging tendency of taking employment issues into the private sphere where accountability and transparency are constricted.
Silencing agreements and private arbitration can prevent victims from seeking justice and can contribute to a culture of secrecy around harassment cases. By proactively banning these, organizations can protect the rights of victims and promote a more open discussion of harassment issues.
3. Lack of equal representation and inclusive culture
Having equal representation and an inclusive culture is one of the most fundamental ways to uproot harassment and discrimination.
Not only can diverse boards consider a broader range of viewpoints when decision-making, but women in senior positions can also help ensure that perpetrators of sexual harassment in the workplace are not tolerated. A study from 2021 found that increasing the number of female directors by just a single individual can be directly linked to a 20% decrease (approx.) in sexual harassment.
Representation and inclusiveness of culture are two pillars of the EDGE Global Standards – the world’s leading global standards for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) that underpin EDGE Certification.
However, the focus on representation must not be at board level only. Gender diversity should be at all levels, throughout the talent pipeline. This is how power becomes effectively redistributed and can make a meaningful impact on workplace culture and reduce sexual harassment.
Drive meaningful change in your organization with EDGE Empower
DGE Empower is the leading software for workplace DE&I and the way to become eligible for EDGE Certification.
Tackle issues like sexual harassment and gender inequity with precision
Track and measure your journey towards a fairer workplace
Build a robust DE&I and ESG reporting framework
Gain credibility by demonstrating your commitment and progress through independent third-party certification.
Wherever you are on your DE&I journey, discover how EDGE Empower can help you apply the same rigour and discipline as you would to any other business-critical mission.
Book a demo
Wherever you are in your DE&I journey, whether at the very beginning or further along, EDGE Empower helps accelerate your progress, and through EDGE Certification visibly prove it – applying the same discipline and rigour that you would to other business-critical missions. Learn more by booking a demo, today.
In a world where progress can quickly be reversed, we must remember that the fight against sexual harassment in the workplace is perpetual. It is time for organizations to take proactive measures, strengthen their anti-harassment policies, and create a culture that values equality, dignity, and respect.
2023 marks 50 years since Billie Jean King, EDGE Certification ambassador, successfully fought for equal prize money for men and women at the US Open. But when speaking at the anniversary event in August, King highlighted that working towards gender equality hasn’t stopped:
“While we celebrate today, our work is far from done. Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and you win it in every generation.”
The younger generation may not know about King’s battle for gender equality in tennis and beyond. And in some ways, it doesn’t matter; there are always new battles to fight.
The work is never done.
Michelle Obama, also speaking at the anniversary event, echoed this: “This is about how women are seen and valued in this world. We have seen how quickly progress like this can be taken away if we are not mindful and vigilant, if we do not keep remembering and advocating and organizing and speaking out and, yes, voting.”
It is, in some ways, frustrating that the fight is never over, but we must not be discouraged. Times change. Societal expectations change. And every generation has the duty to rethink what gender equality is in the context of their own experience and continue advancing toward it.
Every generation has the duty to rethink what equality is and continue advancing toward it.
“I’m still trying to learn more and more all the time,” Billie Jean King said to PBS in a discussion about equal pay. “I’m not that emphatic. I’m trying to figure it out.”
The ongoing battle against sexual harassment
On 20 August 2023, Luis Rubiales, then boss of Spain’s football federation (RFEF), kissed player Jenni Hermoso while celebrating the nation’s success at the Women’s World Cup final. The backlash was swift and fierce. Hermoso stated to the media that she did not consent to the kiss and Rubiales – despite his protestations that he had done nothing wrong – eventually resigned from his position and was handed a restraining order by the Spanish courts.
This is a very public example of sexual harassment in the workplace. And it perfectly demonstrates why we must never stop progressing, never stop moving and adapting. The progress made through the popularisation of women’s football was undone with a stark reminder that gender equity is a perpetual challenge.
Billie Jean King is right: time moves on, and you must move with it.
This is the very real reason why organizations must strengthen their anti-sexual harassment policies. If it isn’t robust enough to prevent sexual harassment, business leaders can’t be surprised by the consequences of their inaction. Only disruption can bring change.
Take the first step
Organizations must actively develop a culture in which harassment is known to be unacceptable and in which victims can raise concerns with the full confidence that they will be taken seriously and dealt with promptly and discreetly.
Organizations must actively develop a culture in which harassment is known to be unacceptable.
The first step to achieving this is to put in place a robust policy to prohibit and prevent sexual harassment that demonstrates the organizations values around equality, dignity and respect at work.
What is included in an anti-harassment policy?
A clear purpose: a commitment to providing a harassment-free workplace for all employees
Legislation with which the organization must comply and legal definitions of key terms
Objectives and actions, such as providing resources and introducing mandatory training
How complaints can be raised, informally and formally, and how they will be investigated
Who is responsible for policy implementation and who is ultimately accountable for its success
How the policy’s effectiveness will be measured and when the policy will be reviewed
How the progress against actions will be communicated.
Now is the time to act. Choose EDGE Empower, today
The work around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) may be ongoing, but with EDGE Empower, you can apply the same rigour and discipline as you would to any other business-critical mission. Stay up to date with the latest DE&I practices and thinking, measure progress against your DE&I goals and credibly demonstrate your commitment to change by becoming EDGE Certified.
Make your organization a place where people want to work, where clients buy, and where investors invest.
Book a demo
Wherever you are in your DE&I journey, whether at the very beginning or further along, EDGE Empower helps accelerate your progress, and through EDGE Certification visibly prove it – applying the same discipline and rigour that you would to other business-critical missions. Learn more by booking a demo, today.
The following joint commentary by Billie Jean King and Aniela Unguresan was published by Fortune.com* on 3 August 2023.
We come from different parts of the world and have taken different career paths, one of us starting as a professional tennis player and the other as an economist. But like many people, we have experienced inequality through fewer opportunities, less pay, and the discounting of our expertise. Driven by the desire to have our ideas, capabilities, and actions acknowledged and appreciated and to advocate for fairness and equity, we fought to open doors and minds. Along our respective journeys, we’ve identified two principal factors preventing progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)–an unproductive amount of risk aversion and resistance to change.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action, which prohibits race-conscious college admissions, signals new challenges to DEI initiatives may be on the horizon. Even before the court’s ruling, we saw signs of backsliding on DEI, reinforcing our resolve to continue fighting to dismantle systemic barriers and create inclusive workplaces where everyone can thrive.
Risk aversion can hinder growth and prevent individuals or organizations from seizing valuable opportunities. We understand that some executives may feel intimidated, leading to decision paralysis. However, we encourage you to shift your mindset and embrace a different perspective. Indeed, being overly risk-averse can cause you to miss opportunities that could have yielded substantial results.
We are no strangers to risk ourselves, having had to navigate the identification, assessment, and mitigation of threats or uncertainties that could have impacted our careers. Our experiences have shown us that adopting a positive outlook and robust approach can yield remarkable results.
I am Billie Jean King. Let me take you back 50 years, when 60 women gathered in London to discuss the creation of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
In a sport primarily rooted in individual competition, the new entity would unify the members’ voices and serve as the forum for collaborating on common goals and advocating for their interests and concerns. Every woman in the room evaluated the risk of the opportunity, and they voted to form the WTA. That momentous outcome enormously impacted women’s professional tennis, which has grown to more than 70 tournaments and more than $180 million in prize money. The impact spread far beyond tennis, creating the foundation for the women’s sports industry that is in place today.
Progress, including in the area of DEI, also demands disruptive change. Executives may accept this idea in theory, as they express excitement and enthusiasm when discussing disruption and change, since these concepts are commonly associated with innovation, growth, and staying ahead of the competition. However, despite the professed commitment to change, many workplaces are stuck in time, perpetuating outdated practices and failing to embrace DEI’s potential. By doing this, they are missing opportunities to embrace a change that can produce transformative outcomes and unlock new possibilities for individuals and organizations.
I am Aniela Unguresan. In 2013, a novel idea began to take shape in my mind: How could the rigor and discipline of data collection, analysis, and objective measurement be brought to the DEI space? The thought presented a series of intriguing choices.
The crucial element was finding ways to integrate DEI into the heart of the value creation process within organizations rather than approaching it as a superficial add-on. Realizing this goal meant we could harness the power of technology to implement objective measurement standards and secure independent verification to make change happen fast, in a scalable way, and at the global level.
It was vitally important to cultivate a different mindset among HR and DEI professionals so they would be receptive to embracing a new approach and technology and embed a systematic and structured approach into an area that was considered highly subjective and, therefore, difficult to measure. Lastly, it was necessary to focus on a very specific set of indicators of current status and progress over time that would serve as the foundation for creating DEI strategies as part of and aligned with the overall business.
The concept worked. Today, hundreds of EDGE-certificated organizations across 57 countries and 27 industries base their DEI strategies, priorities, and roadmaps on robust indicators, performance standards, and independent third-party verification. The early adopters now see DEI as a driver of value creation that makes their organizations more sustainable, agile, and resilient.
In our respective journeys, we have advocated for fairness and worked to dismantle systematic disadvantages because we believe everyone deserves a seat at the table, a voice in the conversation, and a vote in their future.
The evidence demonstrating the positive impact of DEI–where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered–on innovation, culture, and growth is overwhelming. Overall, the change that comes from DEI is necessary and beneficial. Let’s seize this moment by coming together to accelerate progress and create a legacy for future generations. We’re keeping our commitments to DEI, taking bold actions, and making a positive impact–and we’re encouraging you to join us.
*Links not in original publication.
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Wherever you are in your DE&I journey, whether at the very beginning or further along, EDGE Empower helps accelerate your progress, and through EDGE Certification visibly prove it – applying the same discipline and rigour that you would to other business-critical missions. Learn more by booking a demo, today.
Aniela Unguresan, Founder, EDGE Certified Foundation, participated on a panel titled How to Tackle The Gender Pay Gap at the Financial Times’ Women in Business Summit Europe in London on Tuesday 13 June. Joining her in discussing this pressing challenge were Baroness Helena Morrissey DBE, Alesha De-Freitas and Dr Katharine D’Amico. Daniel Thomas, Global Media Editor of the Financial Times, moderated the panel.
The discussion was wide-ranging, covering issues including the difficulties women face in negotiating for better pay, the neuroscientific roots of bias and the role of compulsory reporting in laying the groundwork for change. Rather than treating the gender pay gap as an unexplainable phenomenon, they traced it back to neuroscience, linguistic styles, inherent biases present at all stages of decision making, a system that penalises motherhood but rewards fatherhood, one where women start on lower salaries and progress slower than their male colleagues, and the human condition that makes us reluctant to change. But change is possible, and it is imperative. It requires conscious effort – and it requires commitment from business leaders.
“We expect change to be incremental,” Aniela Unguresan explained. “We hope that by talking about it, making commitments to it, reporting on it, year after year things will get better naturally. Well, change is actually disruptive. And we hate disruption as human beings.”
Yet is also important to acknowledge the heartfelt, emotional nature of pay equity as a topic: “It’s probably one of the most emotional topics that I have witnessed in the corporate world. Pay is the absolute outcome indicator. It’s the absolute measurable indicator of what is going on.”
Despite this, Aniela also stressed the importance of a careful, deliberate methodology. “While it’s an emotional topic, we need to bring rigour and discipline to the conversation.” It’s about finding a balance between the emotion inherent to questions of social justice and rigorous, data-backed analysis: “Once we have the lay of land, bring the emotions in.”
Speaking on the recent EU pay transparency directive, the founder of EDGE Certified Foundation explained the role compulsory gender pay gap reporting plays in fostering transparency – pay transparency is a powerful public policy instrument. The benefits of pay transparency extend beyond judgements made by regulators, board members and shareholders, but also encompass everyday interactions at every level within the organization. “Compulsory reporting creates transparency. Without that transparency, those conversations [about pay] cannot happen very often. Especially for women, and for people who don’t have the same networks inside the organization to get this information in an informal way.”
However, pay transparency should not be seen as a cure-all solution: “Transparency makes the problem visible. But it doesn’t solve the problem,” Aniela said. “The fact that an organization is transparent internally and externally will not close the gap in and of itself.”
There needs to be a plan, with clear remediation for different issues, and a remediation budget set aside to close the gap. But first you need to understand the situation within your own organization.
The EDGE Empower software solution grants organizations the ability to analyse their unexplained gender pay gaps. Remember: unexplained does not mean unexplainable. Through sophisticated tools – including EDGE’s Pay Tool, which delivers authoritative gender pay gap analysis – leaders can uncover hidden biases and discrimination that may be at play. And through EDGE Certification, they can visibly and credibly demonstrate their commitment to DE&I.
As organizations resolve pay inequities, they will create a more sustainable business, one where the benefits of equity make a tangible difference to the balance sheet.
Learn more about our complete and integrated software-based DE&I solution by booking a demo.
Book a demo
Wherever you are in your DE&I journey, whether at the very beginning or further along, EDGE Empower helps accelerate your progress, and through EDGE Certification visibly prove it – applying the same discipline and rigour that you would to other business-critical missions. Learn more by booking a demo, today.
