Sustainable leadership demands inclusivity with women real deal

The 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census report released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows employed women outnumbered men; there were 9.89 million of them against 9.79 million men.

Even in the rural areas, the women in the labour force were more than men. This is a huge improvement from the National Gender and Equality Commission’s 2013-14 study that showed women accounted for 37 per cent of the wage bill despite being as many as men.

Nobody can ignore or exclude the rich pool of skills and knowledge in one half of the gender anymore. Smart organisations are pushing for inclusion and diversity by hiring, training, giving equal pay to and promoting women.

Research shows women are accelerators — for economic growth, new market value, profits, reputation and development goals.

A 2019 report by McKinsey & Co linked female employment to GDP growth. An International Labour Organization survey in 70 countries showed gender diversity improves business outcomes and makes it easier to attract talent. Organisations ranking high in gender diversity showed increased creativity, innovation, openness and insight. Gender diversity is thus not only good for families as women become breadwinners, but it’s also good for the country and for business.

However, the playing field has never been level for women in the workforce and in leadership and progress has been excruciatingly slow. The 2016 Status of Equality and Inclusion in Kenya report by the gender commission shows women as under-represented in formal employment and quality jobs. Men are two to five times more in sectors deemed lucrative — like manufacturing, scientific and technical fields.

Women were found more in vulnerable and casual jobs with data showing a pay gap despite Kenya having ratified the Equal Remuneration Convention in 2001. They earn 67-70 per cent less than men for the same job.

Research by IBM’s Institute for Business Value says a gender-diverse leadership team offers financial success and competitive advantage. Also, boards with women are better able to shift business focus from short-term profit to longer-term growth as women leaders are more collaborative and skilled in balancing the interests of multiple stakeholders than men.

The 2017 Diversity and Inclusion report by the Kenya Institute of Management showed women occupied 21 per cent of board positions in listed companies, up from 18 per cent in 2015. This is against a global average of 18 per cent, according to McKinsey.

Gender balance in senior management is defined as 40-60 per cent of either gender, although gains start to accrue when women hold 30 per cent of leadership.

The government’s free primary and secondary education programmes and 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary school will push many women to be educated and skilled for the workforce. But stakeholders have to ensure practices like female genital cutting and early marriages, which curtail girls’ education, are eliminated. Initiatives need to go beyond giving women and girls opportunities for tertiary education through scholarships and funding of institutions.

Factors that undermine women’s participation and leadership include subtle biases limiting access to power and those sabotaging women’s leadership. They stop women from stunting or self-selecting out of the workplace whether for lack of confidence, socialisation, aversion to risk or politics or pursuing work-life balance.

The law has laid a strong foundation for inclusion and diversity in the workplace and in appointive and elective posts.

Advancing women’s careers should be a formal strategic business priority in every organisation with a business plan around achieving it. Support should start in the C-suite. Treat women’s advancement the same way you do financial goals.

Ms Kavashe, MD of Isuzu East Africa Ltd, chairs the Kenya Roads Board and is on the boards of Bamburi Cement and Kenya Vision 2030.