Ambit For this special report, representatives of business chambers and the industrial apparatus of the Uruguay on the steps taken to approach gender equality in the world of work. The sector claims progress, although they recognize that there are still things to do.
According to figures from the Chamber of Commerce and Services of Uruguay (CCySuy), of the economically active female population, 21.4% are businesswomen or entrepreneurs. The activity sectors of companies led by women are 54% in the sector services38% in the trade and only 8% in the industry.
“The Chamber seeks, through its Gender Department, to promote skills that stimulate them to create companies, facilitate business and exchange experiences that contribute to economic and social change,” said the vice president of the union, Anabela Aldazto Scope.
“We understand that women have greater opportunities if we promote education, training and development throughout the country. So we work with our partners and union entities to position women as protagonists, as drivers of change towards a sustainable societywith inclusive growth and equitable,” he added.
A difficult path
“There is still a long way to go, business women They have greater difficulties in accessing formal financing mechanisms, not only due to greater risk aversion or lack of financial education, but also due to the lack of adequate instruments or lack of guarantee,” adds the union representative. “Our Family Business Center is also an ideal environment to address the issues inherent to the family business, so expensive for the woman who leads it,” she pointed out.
“He glass roof “It is still difficult to break,” says Aldaz. It is considered that women have advanced and managed to access leadership positions, “but it is more common to see them in soft skills management such as marketing or human resources, with the number of women occupying decision-making and operational management positions being very lower,” she points out.
The maternity It is considered a turning point in business careers, as it is associated with a stage of low productivity and relaxation of responsibility.
On the other hand, according to the Chamber of Commerce, the gender pay gap has been reduced over the last three decades, but although Uruguay It is positioned as one of the countries in the region with the highest female labor participation, women earn 75% of what men take home.
The gender wage gap widens at the time of marriage and motherhood. A study of Martina Querejeta to which he agreed Ambit points out that, after ten years of having their first child, women experience a 42% reduction in their monthly salary compared to women with similar skills but who were not mothers. Part of this reduction is due to the fact that they work outside the home 60% less than women who did not have children; and part is explained by lower hourly earnings.
At the same time, this penalty cannot be reversed in the medium and long term; a reduction of 42% is maintained even ten years after motherhood.
Examples in the private sector
The National Beer Factory (FNC) For more than five years, it has promoted a diversity, equity and inclusion program aimed at all its staff. “Our goal is that 100% of the people who work in the company have the same opportunities. We want to accompany them so that they can develop, learn and enjoy what they do, contributing from their authenticity,” he says. Sharon Gonzalez, people and management manager at FNC, at Ámbito.
Women Men Wage Gap Salaries
Photo: Freepik
“We implemented a non-sexist language that speaks to all people in our job searches. For example, we stop saying boss/supervisor to refer to leaders and managers. This is based on our focus on the person’s skills and competencies and not on sex,” she exemplified.
In addition, at FNC they train the teams in the selection process so that they have a bias-free view and they incorporated technology so that it is as objective as possible.
González comments that there are two programs to promote empowerment and enhance the professional profile of female employees and that the representation of women has increased at all levels of the company. Today 47% of leadership roles are occupied by women, including general management.
“We also offer a benefits package with a gender perspective and co-responsibilityFor example, extended leaves for people who fulfill the role of pregnant women or primary caregivers and 45-day leave for secondary caregivers for the birth of their child. These licenses also apply in cases of adoption. Days with reduced hours are offered up to the child’s birthday for primary caregivers or the possibility of remote work up to 2 years of age,” González concluded.
Source: Ambito
