CEDA's policy perspective Women in Leadership: Understanding the gender gap was released in June 2013. In this report, experts examine why a gender gap still prevails in Australia and what barriers we face in achieving gender equity.
The report provides recommendations on closing the gender gap including enabling workplace meritocracies, changing workplace culture and engaging leaders and introducing accountability.
Download report - Women in Leadership: Understanding the gender gap (pdf)
Read media release - CEDA survey finds many women discriminated against in the workplace
Read opinion piece - Why we need more men in the gender equity debate
In 2013,CEDA surveyed 600 people from the business community, primarily its members and past Women in Leadershipevent attendees to help identify current barriers to equality of opportunity. The survey foundmore than 50 per cent of respondents, predominantly women, have been discriminated against on the basis of gender in the workplace.
The survey results, which form part of CEDA's research report Women in Leadership: Understanding the gender gap, also found that 93.2 per cent of respondents believe barriers to equality in the workplace exist.
Read survey results
This research explores the business, economic and cultural aspects of Women in Leadership, including:
- Barriers to equality of opportunity in the workforce;
- Unconscious bias and the consequences to women in the workforce;
- Implications of the current tax and transfer system and its effect on the female participation rate;
- Financial and social outcomes for women;
- The impact of societal expectations and culture on women's choices;
- Personal experiences of women in the workforce throughout their career;
- Barriers women face to progression into leadership roles;
- Empirical evidence and policies of how to narrow the gender gap; and
- The business case for diversity and the way forward for organisations.
Report chapters and authors
The higher you go, the wider the gap
Catherine Fox
Increasing gender diversity through targets with teeth
Dr Jennifer Whelan and Professor Robert Wood
The financial impact of welfare, tax and childcare arrangements
Professor Peter Whiteford
The barriers to equality of opportunity in the workforce: The role of unconscious bias
Dr Jennifer Whelan
The young and the restless: Gen Y and the 21st century barriers to women in leadership
Holly Ransom
Succeeding in work across the life course
Associate Professor Elizabeth Brooke, Dr Deborah Towns and Professor Nita Cherry
Understanding the changing role of women in society
Liz Ritchie
Diversity and Gender: Realities for growth in the global economy
Dr Hannah Piterman
Supported by CEDA members
 |
 |
 |
Past research
In 2011, CEDA released Women in Leadership: Looking Below the Surface a report that examines unconscious bias against women in the workplace.
CEDA Chief Executive Professor the Hon. Stephen Martin said the report aimed to provide the facts and figures that provide a business case for resolving gender equity issues, while also highlighting some of the underlying unconscious biases that exist that are often unspoken and are hindering change.
Download report - Women in Leadership: Looking Below the Surface