Engineering and architecture firms close the gender pay equity gap
New Zealand Home and Building ‘Women in Architecture’ published in June 1993.
A group of engineering and architecture firms have closed the gender pay equity gap after a campaign by The Diversity Agenda to ensure men and women in the same roles receive the same pay.
The Insights 2024 report, released at The Diversity Agenda Accord Summit at Parliament in June, shows the gender pay equity gap has fallen from 5.6% in 2023 to 0.4% in 2024.
The report — the largest voluntary disclosure of key demographic measures for an industry coalition in New Zealand — is based on data submitted from 43 engineering consulting firms and architecture practices that have signed the Diversity Agenda Accord.
“As Accord signatories, we promised to close the pay equity gap and we’ve done it,” Diversity Agenda Chair Josie Fitzgerald says. “We’re really proud to have narrowed it down to 0.4% this year, and ensuring people in the same roles receive the same pay will remain a priority.”
The Diversity Agenda is an award-winning movement to make the engineering and architecture professions in Aotearoa New Zealand better for all — women, Māori, Pacific Peoples, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodiverse and other minority groups.
Firms that sign the Diversity Agenda Accord submit data annually for the Insights report, making them publicly accountable for achieving truly diverse industries.
The report highlights the need to grow the pipeline of women entering the industries and foster equitable and inclusive cultures to retain and promote talent.
“We know it takes a village and various approaches to drive systemic, sustainable change,” Fitzgerald says. “Over the past 12 months, we have been raising awareness and empowering our members by creating industry networks and working groups, offering learning opportunities, and providing tools to help accelerate progress.”
The Diversity Agenda also aims to achieve 40:40:20 (40% women: 40% men: 20% any gender) in senior leadership roles by 2030. This year the report revealed a 5% increase in women in senior leadership roles (from 25% to 30%), bringing New Zealand closer to the global average of 32%.
However, this is despite women leaving engineering and architecture industries at a faster rate than men, highlighting a significant retention issue.
“While there is still much work to do, our progress in women’s representation in senior leadership roles and closing the pay equity gap demonstrates that focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion can lead to a resilient, sustainable future for our sector,” says Fitzgerald.
About the Diversity Agenda
The Diversity Agenda is a joint initiative from the Association of Consulting and Engineering (ACE) New Zealand, Engineering New Zealand and Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects. It’s an award-winning programme and movement to help engineering and architecture firms become more diverse and inclusive through awareness, empowerment and action. Its vision is for the industry to be inclusive, respectful and representative of society — where everyone feels safe and valued in their workplaces, and young people want to be engineers and architects.
