Equal Pay Day is an international awareness campaign of BPW Business and Professional women International. It has been started in 2008 by BPW Germany and is no going around the world to close the Gender Pay Gap. The average pay gap in Europe is still 16 %. This presentation shows the activities of all the federations and clubs of BPW Europe. Europe is largest region of BPW International with appr. 20000 members. The International Federation of Business and Professional Women is an influential international network of business and professional women from over 96 countries in 5 continents with Consultative Status at ECOSOC/United Nations. Founded in 1930, BPW International develops the professional, leadership and business potential of women on all levels through mentoring, networking, skill building and economic empowerment programs and projects around the world. Visit our websites at: www.bpw-international.org and bpw-europe.org

1. Equal Pay Day
2013
1 www.equalpayday.org

2. Why does
Equal Pay matter?
www.equalpayday.org

3. Positive benefits
of closing the pay gap
3 www.equalpayday.org

4. When women earn more,
they support the economy
www.equalpayday.org

5. When women earn the same as men
both feel better
www.equalpayday.org

6. When women earn more,
the whole family benefits
www.equalpayday.org

7. This is what we need:
www.equalpayday.org

8. What is
Equal Pay Day?
www.equalpayday.org

9. What is Equal Pay Day (EPD)?
► Equal Pay Day symbolizes the day until which women
have to work longer to earn the same salary as men
earned the year before.
► Equal Pay Day is a calculated day depending on the
pay gap of each country.
► The goal is that Equal Pay day will be earlier each
year according to the development of the pay gap in
the country.
► At Equal Pay day there are activities and events in
each country to raise awareness for this still existing
pay gap.
9 www.equalpayday.org

10. The Goals of Equal Pay Day
10 www.equalpayday.org

11. How to calculate the date
(figures of Switzerland as example)
DD
t tEP
rss EP
e fifir 0011
e 2 11
f thh in
t
t ssoof ieesin 2
ee rri s * Depending on
Daat uunt
D o nt number of holidays
cco
in the country
11 www.equalpayday.org

12. Equal Pay Day shows first results:
it is earlier in some countries.
Dates of the first EPD
Dates of the first EPD
countries in 2011
countries in 2011
Dates in 2012 were earlier
12 www.equalpayday.org

13. The symbol of Equal Pay Day:
A Red bag
 On Equal Pay Day women and supporting men wear a red bag
 Red stands for red numbers.
 The red bag stands for red numbers in women‘s pockets.
France
France
Spain
Spain
Germany
Germany
Italy
Italy
13 www.equalpayday.org

14. BPW Europe is driving
Equal Pay Day forward
www.equalpayday.org

15. Activities and events by BPW Federations
and Clubs in 23 countries in 2013!
15 www.equalpayday.org

16. BPW Germany is the leading
Equal Pay Day Federation
 Started in 2008 with 40
events/activities
 With 760
events/activities in 2012
 Financial support
through federal ministry
of family affairs
 Thematic focuses:
2012: Composition of
wages
2013: Wage setting in
health professions
16 www.equalpayday.org

17. Events & Activities by BPW in Europe
► Info stands and events in pedestrian zones or
shopping centers
► During lunch break women, equipped with a red bag,
meet in a restaurant or go to the cantine
Italy
Italy
► During the “unhappy hour” cafes, bars, restaurants
and retailers offer a rebate of xx % for women
equivalent to the pay gap in the country
Italy
Italy
Spain
Spain Austria
Austria
17 www.equalpayday.org

18. Events & Activities by BPW in Europe (2)
► Shops decorate their windows with red bags
► Workshops for salary negotiations
► Equal Pay Day on TV in the news
► Serving dishes on the street Switzerland
Switzerland
Estonia
Estonia France
France
18 www.equalpayday.org

19. Events & Activities by BPW in Europe (3)
► Letter to 1500 CEOs to inform them about equal pay tools for
their companies like equalsalary
► Panel discussions with high level speakers
► Award for best Equal Pay Posters at schools
► Promote and watch the film «We want Sex (Equality)» Poland
Poland
together at a local cinema
Switzerland
Switzerland
19 www.equalpayday.org

20. Equal Pay Day in the press
High media coverage in the local and
High media coverage in the local and
national press in the countries.
national press in the countries.
20 www.equalpayday.org

21. Webpages for more information:
www.equalpayday.org
21 www.equalpayday.org

22. Other Webpages
France
France
Estonia
Estonia
Austria
Austria Switzerland
Switzerland
22 www.equalpayday.org

23. What is the EU doing?
www.equalpayday.org

24. What action has the EU taken?
Under EU law it is illegal to discriminate against women at work and in their
pay:
Equal pay for equal work is one of the European Union’s founding principles
– Article 141 of the Treaty calls for equal pay for work of an equal value
– The Directive 75/117 provides that the principle of equal pay means, for the same
work or for work of equal value, the elimination of all discrimination on grounds of sex
with regard to all aspects and conditions of remuneration. In particular, where a job
classification system is used for determining pay, it must be based on the same
criteria for both men and women and so drawn up as to exclude any discrimination on
grounds of sex
The 2002 Directive on equal treatment as regards access to employment,
vocational training and promotion, and working conditions also applies to pay
and requires Member States to establish Equality Bodies to promote equal
treatment
These Directives have been incorporated into a single Directive 2006/54 (The
Recast Directive) on equal opportunities and equal treatment in employment
and occupation
24 www.equalpayday.org

25. New EU initiative:
Equality pays off
www.ec.europa.eu/justice/equality-pays-off
25 www.equalpayday.org

26. The Equality pays off Initiative
 is oriented towards companies.
 highlights the business case for
better tapping the labour force
potential of women.
 aims at supporting companies to
overcome labour market challenges
 by promoting gender equality and
thus, reducing the gender pay gap.
Focus on:
 Check the current situation of your
company on gender equality and
equal pay.
 Exchange know-how and
experience with other company
representatives in workshops at a
national level.
 Network at European conferences
and discuss good practice on how to
better tap the labour force potential
of women.
26 www.equalpayday.org

27. First results and
good practices
www.equalpayday.org

28. Equal Pay Day activities show results!
 Those countries who started early, now see the
progress (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
 Pay gap has been reduced in these countries
after 3 - 4 years and Equal Pay Day is earlier
now.
 Equal Pay is regularly in the media in the EPD
countries and awareness has increased.
28 www.equalpayday.org

29. Equal Pay Day shows positive
developments after 3 years
These 3 countries
started very early
with the calculated
date of Equal Pay
Day.
29 www.equalpayday.org

30. Good practices for Equal Pay Day
 The creativity for campaigns and activities in BPW
federations is amazing.
 The more creative they are, the more interesting to the
media.
 Campaigns with humor are very attractive for the media
(France, Estonia).
 Financial support is sometimes granted by a ministry or
the EU.
 Cooperation with other women organisations, trade-
unions and trade associations (Germany)
 The more collaborating partners the more activities.
30 www.equalpayday.org

31. Tools for companies
 There are tools in some countries to analyse the
salaries of women and men within companies (with
more than 50 employees)
 For Example
– Equal Salary (in Switzerland to be paid)
 Companies receive certification and label
– Logib (in Switzerland and Germany for free)
 Encourage companies to use these tools to
reduce the pay gap internally and to become
an attractive employer for women!
31 www.equalpayday.org

32. Organize Equal Pay Day Events
2013 in your country!
Together we can make the change!
32 www.equalpayday.org

33. Contacts and further information
concerning Equal Pay Day
and BPW
Sabine Schmelzer
Regional Coordinator Europe
coordinator@bpw-europe.org
www.bpw-europe.org
www.equalpayday.org