23 August 2018 – Eighteen judges have been appointed for New Zealand’s fifth annual Equal Pay Awards to support the expanded categories for 2018. Last year the entrants collectively represented 77,000 employees working for companies who strive for best practice and progress in achieving equal pay. This year the YWCA aims to double the number of entrants and their collective impact on the New Zealand workforce.

Acting CEO of YWCA Auckland, Kat Doughty, says that the growth in entries and the expanded Awards categories are good news for New Zealand women. “It shows that more employees across New Zealand are working for employers who take the gender-equal pay gap seriously” she says. “We wanted to recognise the values that our new categories celebrate by appointing senior business leaders and specialists whose experience and personal commitment to equal pay exemplify those values,” she adds.

Founder at Tech Futures Lab and The Mind Lab, Frances Valintine (CNZM), and senior business leader, Rob Campbell, will join Professor Gail Pacheco, Professor of Economics, Director of the NZ Work Research Institute at AUT judging the Innovation Award. This category recognises organisations who have taken an experimental approach to closing their gender pay gap.

Martin King, Owner and Director at South Pacific Pride Ltd, and Dr Keith Macky, Principal Lecturer at Manukau Institute of Technology will judge the Leadership Award with Claire Walker, Group General Manager of Human Resources at SKYCITY Entertainment Ltd. This award celebrates companies who understand the benefits of workplace gender equality and are leading the way for others to follow.

The Progressive Award recognises organisations who have demonstrated commitment to Equal Pay and continue to make sustained advances and improvements to address the issue. CEO of the Institute of Directors, Kirsten (KP) Patterson and Susan Lowe, General Manager People & Culture at Coca Cola Amatil, will evaluate entries in this category with Jo Copeland, HR Director of Douglas Pharmaceuticals Limited.

The first step towards achieving equal pay is getting started. Co-founder of My Food Bag and previous Telecom CEO, Theresa Gattung (CNZM), will judge the On the Journey Award with Air New Zealand’s Chief People Officer, Jodie King, and Strategic Pay’s, Northern Consulting Manager, Michelle Gapes.

This year the Equal Pay Awards will recognise an organisation in the profit-for-purpose or not-for-profit sectors. The Community Award acknowledges that these organisations have unique pay challenges compared to the private sector. This category will be judged by Chief Executive of Philanthropy New Zealand, Tony Paine, with RemNet Chairperson, Kathryn Greene, and YWCA Auckland President, Dr Andrea Vujnovich.

Last year, the 2017 Equal Pay Awards recognised Jo Copeland of law firm Simpson Grierson as an outstanding individual driving equal pay in an organisation. The 2018 Champion Award will be judged by Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women, Renee Graham, with Dellwyn Stuart of the Auckland Foundation’s Women’s Fund, and ANZLF Indigenous Business Co-Chair, Traci Houpapa.

Kat Doughty is encouraging any companies who are on the fence about entering the 2018 Awards to ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’. She says that the online entry process is simple and easy to navigate. “Not only do you get to put a stake in the ground for a gender-equal workplace but you’ll also receive insights from some of New Zealand’s best business minds on how to develop your equal pay platform into a high-performing company culture that results in tangible business benefits,” she says.

Entries for the YWCA Equal Pay Awards close on Friday, 7th September 2018. Finalists will be announced on October 17th and the winners recognised at a celebratory event on November 7th in Auckland.

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