In the daily work we do with companies, we recurrently hear measuring organizational success is no longer just about looking at results. The pursuit of excellence fortunately leads us to work on all dimensions of the company and see each employee as an essential element for the organization's success.
I am certain we will reach a moment when it will be possible to look at each individual's uniqueness and amplify that potential. Until then, it is our responsibility, as a business school, to provide well-founded information about what is happening in the business reality and to accelerate all steps towards this path.
The gender gap represents one of the great challenges of today's society and directly impacts the workforce. We talk about systematic inequalities in opportunities, access to resources, and income, conditions from the academic environment to the business world, and the inherent repercussions within the family circle.
It is not just a matter of social equity, but a premise for the sustainable success of organizations. In exploring the role of business schools in mitigating the gender gap, it is imperative to understand the nuances and complexities of this disparity. I will show some numbers that highlight the challenges faced by women in the professional world, outlining effective strategies to promote gender equality in education and business.
The resident population in Portugal is predominantly female: although more men are born, they have a higher mortality rate, while women have a higher average life expectancy at birth. More women are completing higher education and with higher academic performance. They choose areas of training such as health and social protection, business sciences, administration, and law, as opposed to STEM (1), leading them to work in lower-paid sectors. On average, women earn 16% less in monthly base income, and this value increases significantly as we move up the hierarchy.
In addition, the unemployment rate and inactivity are higher among women, with the role of informal caregivers (which also leads them to be the gender that works part-time the most) inherent in these situations. We have less female representation in management, leadership, and decision-making positions, both economically and politically.
The labor market is indeed marked by structural inequalities between women and men, which prevent equal participation, but we are better than yesterday and worse than tomorrow, surely.
According to the Global Gender Gap Index 2023, Portugal is in position 32 (position 18 in Europe), presenting a score of 0.765 (0-1).
What can companies and business schools do to accelerate this process? There are several concrete and simple actions to materialize that I will list to make it easier to copy:
• Dynamizing networking and mentoring events that connect students and experienced professionals.
• Developing training programs in co-creation that address specific gaps.
• Implementing metrics to monitor progress on the topic in the programs designed for it.
• Preparing regular reports on performance and initiatives related to the theme.
• Universally including topics such as "diversity and inclusion" in all training programs.
• Serving as an example by placing more women to teach and inspire our students.
• Promoting and publicizing events that highlight female entrepreneurs and successful leaders.
• Dynamizing sessions on the topic in primary and secondary schools.
• Giving visibility to partner companies that do remarkable work daily in these areas.
• Sharing experiences of business schools that have successfully implemented initiatives to reduce the gender gap.
• Promoting and publicizing events, conferences, and workshops as well as awareness campaigns on the importance of gender equality.
• Raising awareness among companies about the benefits of having a diverse workforce, the positive impact on innovation, problem-solving, and decision-making as well as contributing to the company's reputation and image.
There are already several aspects that we are proud of in the path we are taking side by side with our clients, partners, and students, in the development of programs that promote female leadership, in the inclusion of topics such as diversity and inclusion in our training, in the creation of scholarships to increase female participation in MBA and Postgraduate programs, and even in the creation of the Women in Business (WiB) club by our Alumni.
As an example, in response to Mota-Engil's aspiration that by 2026, 30% of technical positions be occupied by women, we designed a program, in co-creation, for young women focused on the development of leadership, management, and adaptability skills to what will be Mota-Engil's corporate future.
Covering multiple topics in the field of management and leadership and aiming to empower women to assume management positions in the medium term, this program is very much in line with the work and initiatives that Porto Business School has been developing in terms of gender equality.
The gender gap in Portugal shows a decreasing trend, although slight. This is the challenge we launch to those reading this article, challenge us and see Porto Business School as a space to assume leadership in building a more inclusive future, at this and all levels.
Article by Magali Gomes, Corporate Solutions Consultant, at Porto Business School.
(1) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Sources: Global Gender Gap Report 2023 World Economic Forum; Gender Equality in Portugal: Statistical Bulletin 2022 from the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality
