The AXIS Accident and Health team works across an eclectic mix of sectors globally, many of which can be considered to be male dominated. In my role as Head of Global Consumer Engagement within the AXIS A&H team, I’m privileged to work with my colleagues across our entire portfolio. As Women’s History Month continues, it’s a good time to reflect on the progress that has been made in improving gender equality in the workplace.
While significant challenges like the gender pay gap persist1 across many sectors, there is, at least, a more positive narrative emerging, as many of these sectors are bowing to pressure and undergoing change.
Addressing the gender pay gap in sports
In the US, male athletes in basketball, golf, soccer, baseball and tennis still make anywhere between 15% to 100% more than female athletes2, however some sports organizations and governing bodies are setting an example by driving more positive changes.
Since 2007, all four major grand slam tennis events – the US Open, Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon – have awarded equal prize money to men and women, however many recognized that this did not go far enough in achieving equality. So, in June 2023, the Women’s Tennis Tour (WTA) announced a strategic plan to achieve pay equity at all its biggest tournaments by 2033.3
In other sports around the world, similar changes are being made to close the gender pay gap. Regulations introduced by the English Football Association (FA) in 2020 mandated equal pay for men and women when they play for their national team. This has sparked a global movement. Countries such as Brazil, Australia, Norway and New Zealand soon followed suit4 and, in May 2022, the US Soccer Federation made the same commitment.5 This collective effort is a testament to the power of advocacy and the impact it can have on societal change.
Changing Uniforms
Traditionally, regulation uniforms in certain professions have been designed with the needs of men in mind and to the detriment of women. This situation, however, is also changing. This has been particularly apparent in women’s sport in recent years, where the predominance of white clothing can create extra stress and pressure for female athletes. Many female athletes, therefore, stood up and demanded change.
In Ireland, many teams within the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) have changed the color of their shorts from white to darker shades.6 In England, the women’s soccer team unveiled a new national kit last year, which has blue shorts instead of white,7 and even Wimbledon has relaxed its all-white clothing rule for female tennis players, allowing them to wear dark-colored undershorts, should they wish.8.
Away from sports, in higher-risk professions such as first responders, the unique challenges faced by female professionals is being acknowledged and being used to drive innovation in research and design.
The use of SOPHIE (System Objective Protection against Heat in an Emergency), a female test manikin, alongside the traditional male manikin, RALPH (Research Aim Longer Protection Against Heat), is ensuring that protective equipment meets the diverse needs of both genders.9
Third-generation body armor, which is used by the police service in the UK, is now available in a gender specific design.10
While these changes may seem small, they represent a growing commitment to inclusivity and are positive steps toward improving the mental wellbeing, safety and effectiveness of women performing and working in these critical roles.
Women paving the way as role models and mentors
Recognizing the importance of female role models and mentors is another stride forward. Companies with higher representation of women in senior positions are more profitable, more socially responsible and provide safer, higher quality customer experiences11, reinforcing the significance of women in leadership roles.
Historic appointments like Tonya Hoover as Deputy US Fire Administrator12, Kelley Warner as Chief of Police for Harrisonburg13, and Tiffany Green as chief of the Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department14 are breaking barriers and, by doing so, inspire future generations of women. Furthermore, the 30x30 Initiative aims to increase female police recruits to 30% by 2030.15
The aviation sector is also witnessing positive changes with the establishment of the Women in Aviation Advisory Board, which is backed by Congress and actively working to encourage more women to pursue careers in aviation. Through education, training, mentorship, and outreach programs16, the board’s efforts reflect a collective commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity in an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated.
Still a long way to go
While change is happening, women remain underrepresented at senior levels and in general are still paid less than their male counterparts. According to the 2023 ‘Women in the Workplace’ report by McKinsey & Company, only 28% of c-suite employees in corporate America are women.17 Also in the US, women represent only 9% of firefighters18, 31.6% of paramedics19, and 12% of sworn police officers, with only 3% of police leadership being female.
Other parts of the world have seen more progress. While in the UK, only 8.2% of firefighters are women20, 41.7% of paramedics are female21, and in England and Wales, 35% of police officers are women.22
In the UK, almost 40% of board positions in FTSE 350 companies are held by women as of January 2023, which represented a slight increase on the year before23. In comparison, in 2022, 29% of executive positions in Germany were held by women. In Latvia the percentage was 45 and in Sweden it was 42%.24
The gender pay gap has also progressed too slowly in the US over the last 20 years, and this varies by industry. In 2022, women overall earned an average of 82% of what men earned – compared to 80% in 200225. In sport, the average American woman earns 83% of what an average American man earns, while women in the legal profession only earn 61% on average of what men in that profession earn.26
This is also reflected in other countries around the world. In the EU, for example, women earn, on average 12.7% less per hour than men, but this varies widely across different countries. The gap is highest in Estonia, Austria and Germany, at 20.5%, 18.8% and 17.6% respectively. In Romania, Slovenia and Poland, the gaps are only 3.6%, 3.8% and 4.5% respectively27. In the UK, women are paid on average, 14.3% less than men.28
Insurance supporting progress in evolving sectors
Thanks to the female trailblazers achieving leadership positions in male-dominated professions, the campaigners and high-profile organizations that keep discriminatory issues at the forefront of the news agenda, progress is being made however it is clear that much more needs to be done.
As these sectors evolve and embrace change, the role of insurance becomes pivotal. Our Accident and Health team is proud to support this progress by providing specialist insurance products that help reduce risks faced by women at work. As we celebrate the achievements of women in traditionally male-dominated fields, we look forward to a future where equality is not just a goal but a reality.
1 https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/03/01/the-enduring-grip-of-the-gender-pay-gap/#:~:text=The%20gender%20pay%20gap%20–%20the,80%20cents%20to%20the%20dollar.
2 https://online.adelphi.edu/articles/male-female-sports-salary/
3 https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/28/sport/wta-equal-prize-money-intl-spt-tennis/index.html
4 https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/03/england-womens-and-mens-teams-receive-same-pay-fa-reveals
5 https://www.npr.org/2022/05/18/1099697799/us-soccer-equal-pay-agreement-women
6 https://www.bbc.com/sport/northern-ireland/64390827
7 https://news.sky.com/story/englands-lionesses-to-wear-blue-instead-of-white-shorts-after-players-voiced-period-concerns-12849294#:~:text=England%27s%20women%27s%20football%20team%20have,white%20while%20on%20their%20periods.
8 https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/17/tennis/wimbledon-white-clothing-intl-spt/index.html
9 https://www.fire-magazine.com/dressed-for-success-the-evolution-of-ppe-for-female-firefighters
10 https://www.police-life.co.uk/story/2023/07/27/clothing-for-women-working-in-the-emergency-services
11 https://hbr.org/2021/04/research-adding-women-to-the-c-suite-changes-how-companies-think#:~:text=Research%20has%20shown%20that%20firms,top%20management%20teams%20(TMTs).
12 https://www.firehouse.com/leadership/news/21123985/tonya-hoover-named-deputy-us-fire-administrator
13 https://espnharrisonburg.com/news/146641-warner-is-harrisonburgs-first-police-chief/
14 https://conduitstreet.mdcounties.org/2019/07/30/tiffany-green-will-become-first-woman-to-lead-prince-georges-county-fire-ems/
15 https://leb.fbi.gov/spotlights/leadership-spotlight-women-in-law-enforcement-today
16 https://www.wai.org/mission
17 https://sgff-media.s3.amazonaws.com/sgff_r1eHetbDYb/Women+in+the+Workplace+2023_+Designed+Report.pdf
18 https://www.usfa.fema.gov/blog/ci-030321.html
19 https://www.zippia.com/paramedic-jobs/demographics/#
20 https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fire-and-rescue-workforce-and-pensions-statistics-england-april-2021-to-march-2022/fire-and-rescue-workforce-and-pensions-statistics-england-april-2021-to-march-2022#:~:text=Key%20results-,As%20of%2031%20March%202022%3A,cent%20(1%2C833)%20five%20years%20ago
21 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8892448/#:~:text=For%20UK%20paramedics%2C%20the%20Health,registrants%20(HCPC%2C%202021).
22 https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn00634/#:~:text=Of%20the%20147%2C430%20police%20officers,%2Don%2Dyear%20since%202010
23 https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/women-make-up-40-boards-top-uk-companies-first-time-2023-02-28/
24 https://www.destatis.de/Europa/EN/Topic/Population-Labour-Social-Issues/Labour-market/Female_Executive.html
25 https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/01/gender-pay-gap-facts/
26 https://online.adelphi.edu/articles/male-female-sports-salary/
27 https://www.eumonitor.eu/9353000/1/j9vvik7m1c3gyxp/vl59mpupm0vq?ctx=vk4jic6t1dxz.
28 https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn07068/#:~:text=Median%20pay%20for%20all%20employees,for%20men%20in%20April%202023.
