Set up in 2013 following calls by the Commission for gender equality at work and in employment (CITE), the Forum for businesses promoting gender equality (IGEN) now counts thirty-nine large multinational and Portuguese companies among its number, who are signed up to the principle of gender equality within their organization and who commit to changing old attitudes. In terms of pay differences, Portugal lags its European neighbors with a gender pay gap of 20.8%. However this situation is changing. Auchan Portugal, a member of the forum since its outset has been leading a gender policy that has received recognition from its peer group. Jorge Filipe, head of HR at Auchan Portugal explains to Planet Labor what this entails.
A context of gender inequality. Portugal’s employment environment contains much gender disparity. According to data from the Commission for gender equality at work and in employment (CITE), 2014, there were no females chairing companies’ executive boards as compared with 9% on average across the 28 EU countries. Similarly only 9% of executive boards actually had any female members versus 20% across the EU 28. In terms of salary differentials the gap was 20.8% on average and the more one advances up the hierarchy the more pronounced is the gap where it reaches 26% for senior management level. The more women are qualified the less they earn as compare tot heir male counterparts.
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