Women play a vital role in today’s workforce. According to Time Magazine, they now make up the majority of U.S. workers at 50.04%. Women also earn, on average, 18% less than their male counterparts, and the pay gap increases for women of color. All the while, women are graduating college at higher rates than men.
Overcoming obstacles for women in the workplace is the driving purpose behind The Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis (WFSTL).
By advancing economic independence for women and girls in the St. Louis region, WFSTL’s goal is to positively impact change for women and girls from diverse backgrounds. WFSTL aims to increase awareness of the barriers women face in achieving economic independence, incentivize employers to improve their workplace policies and practices, advocate for changes in public policies, and support local organizations that provide innovative services to women and girls.
Sapper is pleased to announce that we have been selected as an honoree in the WFSTL’s’ fourth annual Women in the Workplace award by demonstrating a strong commitment to gender equity and women’s advancement in the workplace.
The Women in the Workplace score card is designed to surpass voluntary response bias. Rather than relying on subjective indicators, WFSTL asked a designated organizational representative to answer specific questions based on existing policies, practices, or employee data. The questions were categorized into six categories: recruitment, retention, leadership, compensation, workplace culture, and community involvement.
Among the 41 questions included in the large employer survey, WFSTL asked the following:
- Is building gender diversity a top talent development priority for you?
- Do you have a recruiting program that targets the recruitment of women? If so, please include any recruitment practices for women of color.
- What percentage of voluntary departures were women?
- What percentage of involuntary departures were women?
- Do you have diversity and inclusion training? If so, does it include gender-related bias training?
- Is your top-earning employee a woman?
- Do you have a paid parental or family care policy? How many weeks do you offer for the primary caregiver? How many weeks for the non-primary caregiver?
- What percent of women occupy your top positions: C-suite, equity members, shareholders?
We are incredibly proud of the women of Sapper and to qualify as a WFSTL’s Women in the Workplace honoree. We hope to continue to strive for excellence in diversity and inclusion. To learn more about Sapper’s efforts, click here.