Gender pay equality
Our position
Gender pay equality
Our position
We aim to provide an equitable and caring community.
Our position on gender pay equality.
Empowering equality
At Summerland, our dedication to gender equality stems from our deeply ingrained values and community-centric ethos. Embracing diversity and inclusion, our core values of People and Ethics guide us in fostering a workplace that values respect and ethical conduct. We’re proud to represent a community composed of individuals from diverse backgrounds and beliefs.
Our stance
Gender equity in the workplace is not just a goal but a cornerstone of our Equal Opportunity philosophy. This commitment is realized through various initiatives, including comprehensive training programs for staff, fair and merit-based recruitment practices, and a leadership team that reflects a balanced gender composition.
Executive team
Our Executive team is a testament to our commitment, with 4 outstanding females and 2 exceptional males. This balance is maintained throughout our organization, from managers to professionals and clerical/sales staff. We believe in equal opportunities for promotion, training, and development for all our staff members.
Maternity leave
The journey toward gender equality extends beyond professional roles to support the personal milestones in our staff’s lives. We take pride in our approach to maternity leave, with 100% of females returning, often transitioning into part-time roles with full support, including covering the difference between government parental leave payments and full-time rates for up to 18 weeks.
Flexibility
Flexibility is a cornerstone of our commitment, offering a range of work arrangements to meet the diverse needs of our staff. Whether it’s compressed hours, remote work, or part-time and job-sharing options, we strive to create an inclusive environment that caters to individual circumstances.
Our gender pay gap
Summerland’s gender pay gap has demonstrated a consistent reduction over the past three years. Our commitment to pay equity is reflected in the numbers:
Summerland’s gender pay gap has reduced over the last three years:
We currently have 36 males (33%) and 78 females (67%) among our 114 staff and directors. While we recognize a minor imbalance in the upper quartile, specifically in the Information Technology department, we are steadfast in our commitment to pay equity.
Our Remuneration Policy is designed to be competitive and aligns with similar-sized financial organizations to attract and retain leadership talent. Annual reviews, benchmarking exercises, and participation in salary surveys ensure our salary structures remain fair and competitive.
Drivers of our gender pay gap
- Our workforce composition, with 67% females and 33% males, significantly influences our gender pay gap.
- The Information Technology department, where we currently have 100% males in the upper quartile, contributes to a minor imbalance due to salary differences necessary to attract specialized IT staff.
- Management-level positions show a healthy balance, with 17 females and 11 males in leadership roles.
- In sales and administrative staff, recruitment trends have leaned towards females, but recent efforts have increased the number of male staff in the sales department.
- Recruitment challenges in a competitive regional market, especially in the past 12 months, have influenced the speed of filling positions.
Our action plan
Summerland’s commitment to gender equity remains steadfast, and our action plan for the next 12 months reflects our dedication:
- Implementing recruitment and selection training for managers, emphasizing EEO principles, diversity, and inclusion.
- Incorporating changes to our parental leave policy in alignment with updates to the Industrial Relations Act.
- Updating the parental leave policy to include up to 10 staying connected days for returning parents.
- Refurbishing a privacy room to support breastfeeding mothers returning to work.
- Launching a career development program to empower staff in mapping out their professional journeys.
- Continuation of flexibility at work guidelines to accommodate personal needs.
- As we continue this journey, Summerland invites our community to stand with us in the pursuit of true gender equality and empowerment.