Despite the global recognition that gender equality should be a priority in the workplace, companies are not including significant and meaningful gender-disaggregated data within their public reports. Currently, the majority of gender reporting uses a combination of statistics that relate to the gender breakdown of the workforce, rather than focusing on key issues related to career development, equal pay, flexible work or others. This illustrates the importance of raising the benchmark for gender reporting in Canada.

There are several benefits associated with integrating gender equality within public corporate reports, here are five major ones:

1. Build a better reputation: Increasing the level of disclosure about gender data, regardless of the status of gender equality in your organization and sharing its commitment to advancing gender equality will help to create recognition for your transparency, and to build a brand associated with diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

2. Be part of a business shift: As more businesses collect gender data, patterns of common trends in reporting can be identified across industries encouraging more organizations to share best practices and collectively improve gender equality among the entire corporate sector.

3. Increase accountability: By disclosing gender data and a strategy that outlines goals and targets for gender equality, you can create accountability to meet and exceed commitments.

4. Gain and retain talent: Attract a diverse pool of candidates and retain talented employees by showcasing your commitment to identifying areas of improvement, as well as implementing a strategy to combat gender inequalities in the workplace.

5. Increase stakeholder engagement: Improving the quality of gender equality reporting can help stakeholders, including employees, consumers, suppliers and investors to understand how your business is contributing to the greater gender equality movement.

Here are a number of helpful resources to help you take the next step in enhancing gender equality reporting in your organization:

• Integrating the SDGs into Corporate Reporting: A Practical Guide: Improve your quantitative and qualitative reporting and performance on the SDGs.
• The Women’s Empowerment Principles: Reporting on Progress: Improve your reporting and performance using the seven Women Empowerment Principles as a guide.
• Embedding Gender in Sustainability Reporting: A Practitioner Guide: Use the best practices in sustainability reporting and develop new opportunities for women by understanding what gender equality looks like in your business.

The Gender Equality Leadership in the Canadian Private Sector project aims to assist organizations overcome gender equality challenges by offering various resources, including helpful gender equality reporting guidelines and tools. Our Blueprint, which will be released in 2020, will help your business take the next step forward for gender equality.