Closing the Gender Pay Gap: Practical Actions for Real Change
At a recent event hosted by Business Canterbury, the Minister for Women, Hon Nicola Grigg alongside a panel of industry leaders, highlighted the pressing need to close the gender pay gap and offered actionable steps for employers. The event brought together public and private sector voices to explore how we can drive measurable progress for women in the workforce. Her message was clear: achieving pay equity isn’t just a women’s issue - it’s a collective challenge. Everyone has a role to play, and real change will require commitment across business, government, and society.
Why It Matters
Despite improvements over the years, New Zealand’s gender pay gap has stalled, hovering around 8.2% nationally and 8.3% in Canterbury. In some sectors, such as professional services and finance, it’s much higher—up to 29%. For Māori and Pasifika women, pay gaps open earlier and cut deeper, with long-term impacts on savings and retirement outcomes.
Economic recovery has also affected women disproportionately, with 209,000 women currently under utilised in the workforce—33,000 more than men.
A New Tool for Business
To support action, the government has launched Aotearoa New Zealand’s first-ever gender pay gap calculator. Free and simple to use, it allows organisations to measure their pay gap and access tailored resources to help close it. It was developed by business, for business-tested by companies like Westpac, Meridian, and the Law Society.
As the Minister noted, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” The calculator helps employers start the conversation and move toward real, measurable change.
What Businesses Are Doing
The panel shared practical steps they’ve taken:
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Measure and be transparent – Organisations like CityCare Property and Architectus regularly audit and publish their gender pay gaps.
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Review recruitment and pay systems – From using gender-neutral job ads to setting up clear salary bands and comparing like-for-like roles.
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Build the leadership pipeline – Several companies have launched women’s forums, leadership programmes, and internal mentoring networks.
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Address barriers – Initiatives included "wahine packs" (pads, tampons, chocolate) in vehicles, support for the “three Ms” (menstruation, miscarriage, and menopause), and partnerships with youth programmes like GirlBoss.
Male allies were highlighted as key drivers of change - some of the most vocal champions for women’s health and leadership were senior men.
Where to From Here?
The core message was simple: just start. Whether your organisation is large or small, measuring your pay gap is a powerful first step. Use the new calculator, talk about your results, and take action—however small. As one panellist said, “Nobody sets out to have a pay gap. But once you measure it, 98% of organisations find one. And that’s where the change begins.”
The gender pay gap is a complicated issue and so check out these additional resources that can help empower women below -
- An online hub with courses and videos to support more women on boards - About the Leadership Learning Hub | Ministry for Women,
- The Ministry for Women’s Nominations Database to register your CV for public sector board roles - Register with our Nominations Service | Ministry for Women
- The Free to Lead toolkit, providing practical tools and strategies to support women to act against instances of online harm - Free to lead toolkit | Ministry for Women
Here are few images from the event....
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