International Parity at Work Day on Jan. 11

The inaugural International Parity at Work Day will be observed on January 11 globally, starting January 2017 and every year, thereafter on the same day.

It champions the value of workplace diversity – inclusive of all genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, physical abilities and ages; and it raises awareness of persistent workplace inequality, the organisers said.

The inaugural day will be celebrated in London at the iconic Cheesegrater building, with businesses and communities around the world holding individual events to show their support for workplace parity. Events are also planned in the US, Asia and Europe.

This year’s International Parity at Work Day also sees the launch of The Parity Pioneers Movement, initiated by a group of global professionals who seek to unleash world-class performance by maximising the value of workplace diversity through leadership and cultural development.

In an increasingly volatile, uncertain complex and ambiguous world, organizational diversity increases long-term business resilience – and yet workplace disparity remains a critical global challenge.

The World Economic Forum currently estimates that economic parity between the sexes will take 170 years to achieve after a continuous and dramatic slowdown in progress.

London-based Ishreen Bradley - founder of the Parity Pioneers Movement, commenting on the importance of parity at work, says “now more than ever – in this tough operating environment, it is essential to support individuals and organisations to overcome engrained cultural and institutional barriers to parity.”

The Parity Pioneers Movement aims to accelerate the realisation of brilliance and performance through inclusion and difference - catalysing world leading performance by maximising the value of difference.