El Cerrito Resident Helps Launch Bay Area Gender Equality Challenge

By Elizabeth Laferriere, Program Manager, and Ann Lehman, Policy Director of San Francisco Department on the Status of Women

Ann Lehman, long-time El Cerrito resident, helped launch the Gender Equality Challenge in San Francisco on April 15.

The goal of the Gender Equality Challenge is to motivate organizations to join the effort to advance gender equality in the Bay Area and to improve the working environment for all women and men.

The Challenge will collect and highlight gender-responsive model practices that can be measured, shared, and replicated.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee set the tone for the Challenge earlier that week.

“A thriving 21st Century San Francisco workforce requires that we honor the principles of equality so that both men and women are treated equally in the workplace," Lee said. "Along with our valuable corporate partners, we are committed to creating workplaces in our City that will be recognized models for
our entire nation.”

Dr. Emily Murase, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, opened the April 15 event on a similarly enthusiastic note.

Addressing the packed house at City Hall, Dr. Murase called attention to the global momentum around issues of gender, innovation, and equitable workplaces. She thanked the Gender Equality Council — a working
group comprised of representatives from leading Bay Area companies — for crafting the Gender Equality Challenge to tackle these critical issues.

San Francisco Supervisors David Chiu, Malia Cohen, and David Campos described the need for a public-private partnership to advance workplace equality. They cited dismal female leadership and equal pay statistics, and emphasized that the time for change was now.

Lehman, Policy Director of the Department on the Status of Women, outlined the Gender Equality Challenge and the seven principles on which it is based.

“Gender equality is not just the right thing to do,” she said, “It is the smart thing to do.” She added that gender equality in the workplace is essential for: achieving better financial performance, attracting a broader spectrum of talent, enhancing organizational health, and improving brand and marketplace.

Teresa Briggs, the first female Managing Partner at Deloitte in San Francisco, said that Deloitte became involved with the Gender Equality Principles Initiative - the program that is the foundation for the Challenge - because “it was the right thing to do for their people and their clients.”

She then described two Deloitte practices that fall under the following principles:

• Principle 1: Employment and Compensation Regional and national leaders in Deloitte's Women’s Initiative (WIN) regularly analyze company-wide compensation levels for gender parity. WIN leaders also look into leadership appointments to ensure no gender bias exists in the selection of candidates.
• Principle 2: Work-life balance and Career Development Deloitte developed the Mass Career Customization (MCC) program, a work-life balance practice that enables a more adaptive, "lattice" career path model. This model was created in response to modern realities on how work gets done and how careers are built. MCC allows everyone in the firm to customize their careers in a way that works for them.

Next, Cecily Joseph, Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility and Compliance at Symantec Corporation, began by saying: “I am a woman who works in an environment where women are underrepresented and often struggle to find their voice...I think that even with [all my achievements], that is still who I am in my job every single day, and I think a lot of us can relate to that.”

She noted the importance of the Challenge to move corporations in the right direction.

Joseph explained that Symantec is actively re-framing how it approaches gender equity and inclusion at all levels in the company. She shared her personal experiences with setting goals, and the importance of having CEO support for practices that promote equality.

Dr. Murase concluded the event by challenging Bay Area companies to do their part for gender equality and smart business, and apply to the Gender Equality Challenge.

To learn more about the Gender Equality Challenge and upcoming events, including a May 21 roundtable on Trafficking, Supply Chains, & Gender, visit www.genderprinciples.org.