Gender equality starts with men

EMPLOYERS in the travel industry must normalise the concept of paternity leave if women are to achieve equality in the workplace, views expressed during a panel session on social impacts at the Centre for Aviation (CAPA) summit in Syd last week.

Bioenergy Australia’s CEO Shahana McKenzie said that women often find the most challenging period of their careers is when they have kids because they are expected to take on the duties of being the primary carer at home.

“If there was one thing that I could ask all employers it would be to create a culture that was as acceptable for men to take the leadership role at home as it is for women,” McKenzie said.

“One of the biggest challenges won’t be for me - it will be for my husband because he is the one who has to take that role and actually his employer doesn’t look at that as favourably.”

Etihad’s General Manager Australia and New Zealand Sarah Built agreed, contending that progress would only be achieved when employers were able to change their perceptions towards parental leave.

“I’ve been really fortunate, by chance I haven’t had those barriers in my career but I would just love to see that kind of gender acceptance as the norm,” Built said.

Pictured: On the CAPA panel last week were World Animal Protection Executive Director, Simone Clarke; Bioenergy Australia CEO Shahana McKenzie; Etihad Airways, GM Australia and New Zealand; Sarah Built, and The Sustainable Traveller Founder, Dayana Brooke.