To mark Equal Pay Day, the day when women in the UK stop being paid in comparison to men due to the gender pay gap, She Says is launching a manifesto to help creative workplaces embrace inclusion.

The not-for-profit organisation which champions gender equality in the creative industries has launched the ‘Rework the Future’ manifesto to help companies drive equality in their organisations.

The manifesto has been drafted from insights provided by people working across all levels in the creative, advertising and marketing industries. The insights include the fact that 3 in 4 people want equal pay and opportunities as a top priority for the workplace. While 74% of people believe there is ‘a lack of representation in leadership’.

The manifesto calls for truly fair and flexible work policies. Currently, the Fawcett Society calculates that the gender gap in the UK isn’t expected to close until 2051. However, SheSays is urging the industry to take positive control and stop being a passenger in the journey for equality. 

To help companies to take action the manifesto outlines three core actionable points which businesses should consider implementing to create fairer, more inclusive workplaces.

Firstly the manifesto calls on organisations to offer flexible working arrangements. This should not be confused with fixating on how many days employees go to the office. Flexible working encompasses a vast range of different working styles including flexitime, compressed hours, remote work and hybrid work.

The manifesto’s second recommendation is to provide learning and development opportunities to staff. While the third is to eliminate bias from performance reviews.

SheSays is encouraging the actions to be shared with managers, colleagues, peers, and leadership teams.

“We are witnessing a groundswell of people pushing for progress in the workplace, especially with legislation such as the Employment Rights Bill urging businesses ‘to make flexible working the default for all.” explained  Amy Dick, UK President of SheSays.

She continues: “We can’t wait another 27 years for gender pay equality and businesses shouldn’t wait any longer before reforming their working policies to ensure they are supportive, inclusive, progressing and fit for purpose.”

“Our manifesto highlights urgent issues for leaders to read, review and address. Share the manifesto far and wide. Because together, change is possible.”

She says launched the ‘Rework the Future’ campaign earlier this year.

Download the manifesto and share with your teams and leadership here