Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MSI) has been certified an Employer of Choice by the Australian Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).
The WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation is awarded to companies that proactively encourage, recognise and promote gender equality in Australia.
The achievement reaffirms Motorola Solutions’ global commitment and progress in building a diverse and inclusive workforce and becoming a leading employer of women. It is only one of four companies in Australia to earn the citation in WGEA’s Information, Media and Telecommunications industry category.
The citation requires companies to meet strict criteria in areas including leadership, strategy and policy development to promote and develop gender diversity, with senior business leaders being held accountable.
Motorola Solutions Australia earned the citation after implementing a number of successful initiatives. This includes creating a staff-led Inclusion and Diversity Council, sponsoring professional development for women across the ICT sector and reinvigorating human resources policies to provide more flexible working arrangements, superannuation and leave entitlements.
Next step – close the gender pay gap
The next major goal for Motorola Solutions Australia is to close its gender pay gap by 2020. According to the WGEA, the total remuneration gender pay gap for full-time workers in Australia is 21.3%, placing it at 49th in global rankings.
Motorola Solutions vice president managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Steve Crutchfield, said the WGEA citation is an important milestone for the company.
“We are proud that our ongoing efforts to make Motorola Solutions a fairer and more inclusive workplace for women have been recognised,” Crutchfield said.
“Through our Inclusion and Diversity Council we have worked hard to create a supportive environment where all employees can speak up about matters that personally affect them. We have also raised awareness at all levels across our business with many employees supporting community and charity events for gender diversity.”
“Additionally, we have gained valuable insights and made positive changes to retain and attract more top female talent and become a better employer for women overall.
Motorola Solutions Human Resources Director, Elise Mann, explained there is still more work ahead for the company to become a leading employer of women in Australia.
“Although we are delighted to earn a WGEA citation we cannot afford to be complacent about our efforts so far,” Mann said.
“We have to sustain and improve opportunities and participation for women throughout our company. We also have a broader responsibility as an industry leader to drive change across the Australian ICT sector.
“All working women deserve to be treated and paid equally to men and to have equal opportunities to progress in their careers,” Mann said.
Among Motorola Solutions’ next steps are increasing its intake of female graduates and setting clear diversity and inclusion goals that its Australian leadership team must meet.
The EOCGE citation follows Motorola Solutions’ achievement of ranking third in the “Network and Other Communications Equipment” category of Fortune’s 2019 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.