Opening session and wake-up call - what does a “successful” career path look like for a woman throughout her life trajectory?
About
In her rousing introduction to the inaugural Women In Work Summit, journalist, broadcaster and co-founder of Menopause Mandate, Mariella Frostrup underlined the economic benefits of female workers to businesses.
She explained that corporates with more than a quarter of women on their executive committee saw a profit margin of 16% - more than 10 times higher than those with no female board members, according to PwC’s 2023 Women in Work Index.
What’s more, she said, there would be a £4.6 trillion gain from increasing the female employment rate across the OECD to match that of Sweden’s.
But at it stands, Mariella said: “By the time a woman's first child is 12 years old, her hourly pay is on average 33% behind a man's. The 'motherhood penalty' makes up 80% of the pay gap. That's direct penalisation - or should that be penis-alisation - for not having the 'right' body parts!”
Speaker
Mariella Frostrup
Ms
Mariella Frostrup is one of the UK’s most respected broadcasters and columnists. Her contribution to arts and literature along with her advocacy on gender and social issues have placed her at the forefront of the cultural landscape. She made the ground-breaking BBC1 documentary The Truth about Menopause and she currently presents her own daily show on Times Radio covering issues of the day.
