Human Rights Focus In CSR

Equal Pay Day moved BACKWARD in 2025 to March 25th, revealing a harsh truth: transparency without enforcement doesn't create equality. 60% of job postings now include salary information—up from just 18% in 2020—yet women still earn just 85 cents to a man's dollar. Even more disturbing? The gap is widening. Of 98 countries with equal pay laws, only 35 have implemented any accountability mechanisms. We're seeing the illusion of progress without the substance. True salary transparency requires action at every level: For individuals: - Share your salary information with "trusted" colleagues - Explicitly ask for pay ranges before interviews - Document salary discussions and decisions - Normalize compensation conversations in your workplace - Research industry standards using sites like Glassdoor and Payscale For managers: - Conduct regular pay equity audits in your teams - Establish clear compensation criteria based on skills and responsibilities - Remove salary history questions from your hiring process - Advocate for transparent promotion pathways For organizations: - Implement formal pay bands with clear progression criteria - Regularly publish company-wide gender and racial pay gap data - Create accountability mechanisms for addressing inequities - Train managers on recognizing and addressing unconscious bias in compensation decisions The data is clear: companies with meaningful transparency see pay gaps narrow significantly in the first year alone. But posting a salary range isn't enough if there's no accountability behind it. Let's move beyond performative transparency toward meaningful equity. Please share this post if you think salary transparency should come with real action. Joshua Miller #SalaryTransparency #PayEquity #Workplace

Modern slavery hidden in plain sight   After delivering a presentation on modern slavery at a Singaporean law firm, the organizer expressed gratitude for the insightful session but asserted that the topic seemed somewhat detached from their legal practice.   According to him, the issue primarily pertained to manufacturing companies and retailers dealing with supply chain intricacies and potential sweatshops. Undeterred, I probed further, asking if he was aware of the individuals responsible for cleaning their office building.   Upon his admission of ignorance, I recommended a closer examination of this aspect of their business. Two weeks later, I received a call confirming their investigation had unveiled exploitation within the cleaning company, particularly among migrant staff.   This scenario wasn't an isolated incident. I encountered a similar response from a pharmaceutical company that believed their highly sophisticated supply chain and well-compensated employees shielded them from vulnerability.   However, upon urging them to scrutinize the third-party transport companies handling their pharmaceutical distribution, they too discovered ethical concerns.   The key takeaway is that by shedding light on any business, the potential for modern slavery vulnerability can be exposed.   To preemptively address this, companies should prioritize due diligence. This involves scrutinizing not only their immediate operations but also delving into the practices of suppliers, subcontractors, and third-party entities associated with their business.   Continuous monitoring, adherence to ethical codes of conduct, employee training, and collaboration with industry stakeholders are integral components of a proactive approach.   By incorporating these measures, businesses can actively contribute to eradicating modern slavery and fostering a more ethical business environment.   The fight against modern slavery demands a multifaceted strategy that involves not only reacting to identified problems but actively seeking them out. By doubling down on due diligence, companies not only protect their reputation and brand but also play a crucial role in dismantling the foundations of exploitation within the global business landscape.   The journey toward an ethical business environment requires vigilance, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to dismantling the shadows of modern slavery wherever they may linger. LinkedIn for Creators #linkedinforcreators #humantrafficking #modernslavery #ESG #supplychain

Stakeholder Engagement Map for Sustainability 🌎 Sustainability advances when companies move from speaking to stakeholders toward building solutions with them. Engagement becomes powerful when it shifts from information-sharing to participation and co-creation. Employees are not passive recipients of corporate policies. When positioned as innovators and ambassadors, they can drive cultural change that scales faster than top-down initiatives. Investors increasingly evaluate not only financial returns but also resilience and impact. Open dialogue and credible disclosures create the foundation for financing models that reward long-term value creation. Regulators and policymakers shape the boundaries of what is possible. Proactive collaboration ensures that emerging rules both protect society and enable business innovation. NGOs and civil society connect business with pressing social and environmental realities. Partnerships with them help translate global challenges into concrete, measurable corporate actions. Customers bring more than purchasing power. Through collaboration and product co-design, they accelerate the adoption of sustainable solutions and redefine what markets demand. Suppliers and partners extend responsibility beyond a single enterprise. Joint innovation in sourcing, standards, and technology transforms sustainability into a shared endeavor across the value chain. Communities ground sustainability in place. When businesses co-invest in local development, they secure trust and create ecosystems that benefit both society and the enterprise. Media and opinion leaders influence how actions are perceived. Transparent storytelling backed by evidence strengthens legitimacy and reinforces accountability. Academia and experts contribute the critical lens of science and independent validation. Engaging them ensures that strategies are rooted in knowledge, not convenience. Risk and resilience demand collective approaches. Working groups and cross-sector alliances elevate sustainability from individual commitments to systemic impact. True engagement means entering a space of shared design. It is in these interactions that sustainability moves from compliance to transformation, and from promises to outcomes. #sustainability #business #sustainable #esg

Women make up 52% of entry-level (P1) employees but just 23% of C-Suite executives. Why do so few women make it to senior roles? There is a lot of emphasis in the news on the gender pay gap. However, this “unadjusted” gender pay gap typically fails to capture what is perhaps the most powerful underlying force holding back women–𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀. Today, let’s test a few hypotheses for why this gap becomes so pronounced at senior levels. _______________ From first principles, there are three potential ways in which women-vs-men representation divergences can happen at senior levels: Potential Force 1: disparities in 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 between genders Potential Force 2: disparities in 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 between genders Potential Force 3: disparities in 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 between genders by job level Let’s take a look at all three potential forces to understand what is happening underneath the hood in the labor market. _______________ 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝟭: 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 🟡 Conclusion: For the most part, promotion rates are largely consistent for men and women across all job levels. I would thus suggest that promotion rate disparities are not the main driver of the representation rate divergence for men vs women at senior levels. _______________ 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝟮: 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 🔴 Conclusion: Employee turnover is slightly-but-not-massively higher for women across all job levels. Thus, I would suggest that turnover rate disparities are perhaps a small driver of the representation rate divergence for men vs. women at senior levels. _______________ 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝟯: 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 🔴🔴🔴 Conclusion: Hiring rate disparities between men and women by job level are where we see substantial gaps. For instance, women represent 51.5% of recent P1 hires but only 23.2% of recent C-Suite hires–a 29 percentage point gap. Thus, I would suggest that 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝘀. 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. _______________ 𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀: Pave’s dataset skews largely to the tech sector. Also, due to sample size constraints, individuals identifying as non-binary or other distinctions are not included in this analysis.

⚠️ Exporting to the US? The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) could stop your goods at the border. The law mandates that importers prove—clearly and convincingly—that no part of their supply chain involves forced labor, especially linked to Xinjiang. For Asia-based manufacturers, that means demonstrating traceability all the way down to raw materials. 📦 This is happening at a time when trade routes are shifting, tariff rules are tightening, and supply chains are already under pressure. UFLPA adds another layer of operational complexity—especially for suppliers selling into US markets. Here are six tech-enabled practices that can support compliance: 🌐 End-to-end supply chain mapping – with SCRM software and multi-tier tools for visibility 🧾 Automated supplier screening – using compliance platforms and denied party lists 📑 Digital tracing & documentation – centralized records to support CBP response 📡 Real-time monitoring & analytics – powered by AI to detect and flag risks early 🛠️ Due diligence & remediation integration – verifiable action through third-party platforms 🔄 Regular updates & adaptability – via cloud-based tools aligned with evolving regulations It's also important to note that technology simplifies the process (and these processes are only going to get more complex)—but it’s only as strong as the due diligence program behind it. #UFLPA #AsiaExports #CBPCompliance #TradeComplexity #ForcedLabor #SupplyChainRisk #AICompliance #DigitalDueDiligence #EthicalSourcing

The recent publication of a detailed report on stakeholder attitudes marked the completion of the latest phase in the national discussion about the potential for reintroducing the Eurasian lynx to Scotland. A collaboration between three charities - Trees for Life, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, and the Lifescape Project - the Lynx to Scotland project is exploring the desirability of restoring to the Highlands a population of this shy and solitary cat, which mainly hunts woodland deer. However, as experiences from other countries show, tensions between lynx and humans (and between different groups of humans) can arise. Last year, 53 people representing a wide range of rural interests, including livestock farming, hunting, forestry, tourism and conservation, met in a series of workshops facilitated by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group. The process was designed to address specific concerns about lynx reintroduction that had been raised during a previous round of multi-stakeholder study and to further assess the social feasibility of a potential Eurasian lynx reintroduction to the Scottish Highlands. My own role in all this (in a personal capacity), was to provide (hopefully!) trusted and balanced information about a species that is not well known in Scotland, following its extinction here several centuries ago. My input ranged from my book about the species and its relationship with people in modern Europe (The Lynx and Us) being made freely available to workshop participants, to being one of six people on the cross-sectoral Lynx Focus Group that helped to design the stakeholder engagement process, to giving a presentation on the subject at a reception in the Scottish Parliament. My most recent involvement, however, was to give scene-setting presentations on the particular topics at last year's stakeholder engagement workshops, i.e. on lynx habitat availability, livestock, deer management, endangered wildlife, gamebird rearing, and forestry operations. I stayed to answer any questions generated by the presentations, before leaving the workshop participants to get on with it. If you want to read more detail, I've included a link in the comments to download the stakeholder engagement report, which was published by the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group. It will be fascinating to see where things go next... #nature #wildlife #ecology #environment #biodiversity #forestry #farming #tourism #Scotland #hunting

How. Is. This. Still. Happening?! 😡 Today, I had a conversation that left me fuming—and not for the first time. I spoke with an incredibly talented, experienced female candidate who just discovered that a male colleague—junior to her in the industry, with half her experience, who even reports into her—was earning significantly more than her. Yes, you read that right. In 2024, we're still having these conversations. How is this still a thing? Equal Work, Equal Pay should be the norm, not a privilege. It’s not just about fairness; it’s about respect, value, and integrity. How can we expect women to stay motivated, stay innovative, stay in industries that continue to undervalue them, especially when the events industry is pretty much made up of women? It’s infuriating that despite all the progress we've supposedly made, gender pay gaps are still very real, very pervasive, and very damaging. We talk about diversity, equity, and inclusion, but how can we take those words seriously when these disparities continue to exist? So, what do we do about it? Advocate and Speak Up: If you discover you’re being underpaid, don’t stay silent. Gather your facts, know your worth, and advocate for yourself. Yes, it’s uncomfortable, but silence only perpetuates the problem. Managerial Responsibility: Managers, this is on you too. If someone on your team is being underpaid, it’s your responsibility to address it. Push for pay adjustments if you see inequities—don’t wait for your employees to bring it up. Support Each Other: We need allies in the workplace. If you’re aware of a colleague being underpaid, support them in their fight for fair compensation. The more voices, the stronger the message. If this happens to you… Don’t internalise it: This isn’t about your worth or value. It’s about systemic issues that need to be addressed. Arm Yourself with Information: Research industry benchmarks, gather evidence of your contributions, and prepare to make your case. Demand Action: Don’t just ask—demand that your organisation takes action. Whether it’s a salary adjustment or a clear path to one, make sure there’s a concrete resolution. Know When to Walk Away: If your company refuses to rectify the situation, it might be time to look elsewhere. Don’t stay where you’re undervalued. To all the companies out there: Step up. Do better. This isn’t just about keeping your employees happy; it’s about basic fairness and decency. This shouldn’t still be happening. But until it stops, we’re going to keep talking about it, calling it out, and demanding change. #EqualPay #GenderEquality #PayEquity #DiversityandInclusion #RantOver

I recently came across some disturbing yet unsurprising statistics: 🔹 In India, women earn 18.2% less than men on average (Monster Salary Index). 🔹 Globally, the WEF estimates we’re 134 years away from closing the gender pay gap. 🔹 And many companies still don’t track or publish pay parity data at all. That got me thinking: We’ve never discriminated on gender at Gera. But over time, could unintentional bias have crept in? So, I asked our HR team to run a complete gender pay parity audit, role by role. We compared salaries for every role with both men and women, normalised for tenure, scope, and experience. The results? ✅ Women at Gera earn 6% more on average than their male peers. ✅ In 18 comparable roles, only 2 showed men earning more, justifiably, not due to gender. ✅ Just 1.33% of employees showed any potential gender-based gap. ✅ No corrections were needed. This wasn’t just about numbers. It was about staying true to what we stand for. In a world where fairness often feels aspirational, I’m proud that at Gera, it’s operational. Unfortunately, we’ve still got a long way to go as a society. More leaders need to ask the hard questions, listen without defensiveness, and act with transparency. Have you seen organizations truly treat all genders fairly? In your view, what more can be done to make equality not just an ideal, but a norm? #GenderParity #EqualPay #Leadership #Fairness #PeopleFirst #LetsOutdo #GreatPlaceToWork #RealEstateIndia #DEI #TruthOverAssumptions Gera Developments

The gender pay gap doesn’t begin at the boardroom. It begins shorter after graduation. According to new FT analysis, men in the UK are earning 14% more than women just five years after leaving university - even when they studied the same subjects. Take maths graduates: men most often go into software development roles, averaging nearly £50k. Women most often go into teaching, averaging £34k. The same degree. Very different outcomes. This challenges the old narrative that the gender pay gap is mainly about “course choice.” It’s not. The disparity starts with how careers are channelled, valued, and rewarded right from the first rung of the ladder. Our own Three Barriers research shows how gender stereotypes, systemic bias, and unequal access to networks compound over time. By the time we get to the C-suite, the gap has widened into a chasm. This is an important issue for organisations: talented women are being funnelled away from the highest-paying, highest-prestige roles before they even have a chance to compete for leadership. This means, if we want more women in senior roles tomorrow, we need to tackle inequity in career pathways today. 👉 I'd love to hear examples of organisations working with schools and universities to encourage women to opt into a wider range of careers. Please share best practices of what your organisation is doing in this space! #GenderEquity #WomenInLeadership #GenderPayGap

It is unusual for the Australian Federal Police to issue warnings to seasonal and casual workers to be aware of forced labour indicators. But as AFP Commander Helen Schnieder notes: "Unfortunately, criminals do take advantage and exploit workers looking for temporary work." "As demand for seasonal and casual workers increases during the warmer months, we urge individuals to be aware of the indicators of forced labour and ask their employers to provide appropriate documentation and contracts before accepting job offers." Commander Schnieder gives examples of deckhands, fruit pickers and packers, farmhands, labourers, and vineyard workers. The GumTree ad below is provided by the AFP as an example of a job ad, placed in an alleged forced labour case in the NT. What's important now is that the message gets out to people looking for work but also to the many service providers, business owners and members of local communities where seasonal workers live and work. The AFP has given a list of red flags to look out for, including: ❌ Workers living in places that are unsuitable for habitation, like agricultural or industrial buildings, or in overcrowded or unsafe accommodation. ❌ Workers not being given any choice over where they stay or live while in the job. ❌ Workers not being able to access their own earnings or savings. ❌ Workers being 'disciplined' through 'fines'. ❌ Workers being asked to pay for tools and food or accommodation, with costs deducted from their wages. You can find the full list of indicators, along with information about recent forced labour prosecutions and arrests in Australia, in the AFP media alert here: https://lnkd.in/gJXjxmVC #ModernSlavery #TemporaryWorkers