The City of London is one of the most economically prosperous areas in the world. But behind the conspicuous wealth of the City lies a hidden story of disadvantage and discrimination affecting women at all levels of business, perpetuating poverty, discrimination, and absence from the corridors of power. Nearly 40 years on from the outlawing of discrimination against women in the workplace – sexism in the City remains rife: only 11 per cent of FTSE 100 company directors are women, while two-thirds of low paid workers are women.
For the first time Fawcett is revealing the link between these different workplace experiences. That link is sexism. Attempts to shoe-horn women in to workplaces made by men for men have failed. But it’s not just workplace structures that are the problem. Women face outdated, sexist attitudes about their roles and abilities. This derives from a wider culture in which women are subject to sexist stereotypes and are increasingly sexually objectified.
But it is not just women who pay the price for sexism in the City. UK full-time employees work the longest weekly hours in the European Union. Rigid workplace structures mean that men get to spend less time with their families and are subject to the stereotype that caring for children is not a ‘man’s role’. For Britain to be competitive in global markets we need to be making full use of our country’s talents. A lack of flexible working currently means 6.5 million people are not fully using their skills and experience – the estimated cost of this to the economy: £15-23bn or a staggering 1.3-2 per cent of GDP.
Sexism in the City is not a new phenomenon. Nor is this story of disadvantage unique to the City of London; it is a story replicated in towns and cities up and down the country. Sexism has no place in UK business or society in 2008. The time for action is now.
For the next two years the Fawcett Society is leading an alliance of organisations, businesses and individuals to bring about change.
The campaign is calling on government to take urgent steps to stamp out sexism. First, extending the right to request flexible working to everyone would help tackle the stigma of working flexibly – which is currently viewed as the ‘mummy track’.
Second, end the opt out of the EU Working Time Directive to help curb the destructive long working hours culture.
Third, pay audits need to be compulsory. It should be a basic legal obligation for companies to find out if they are paying their female employees less than their male employees.
Fourth, central government needs to compel local authorities to license lap-dance clubs licensed as ‘sex encounter establishments’ – as sex shops are – in order to apply vital conditions and restrictions on the clubs to protect both the women who work in them and women who live and work in the vicinity.
Businesses must also take urgent action to root out sexism. All employees – including contracted cleaners – should be paid at least the London living wage of £7.20 an hour. Companies must also implement and promote flexible working at every level so it becomes the standard way of working. But perhaps the most challenging task – but one of the most important – is to pro-actively challenge cultures that discriminate and against and stereotype women.
Every single individual has a vital role to play in challenging sexism in UK workplaces. Nearly 40 years ago it was made illegal to discriminate against women in the workplace. Our job is to turn that principle into reality.