Status of Women Canada supports certification system for gender equality

OTTAWA – The Liberal government is devoting nearly $860,000 to a project that could end up creating a certification system to let Canadians know how well companies are doing when it comes to gender equality.

The three-year project led by the UN’s Global Compact Network Canada will involve working with the private sector to develop a plan to get rid of the barriers women face in the workplace, including better policies on sexual harassment and balancing a job with caring for a family.

Helle Bank Jorgensen, president of the network, says one of the goals is to find a way for companies to measure themselves against a set of gender-equality standards and be recognized for their efforts.

She likened the idea to how some buildings can now be certified for their environmentally friendly design.

Status of Women Minister Maryam Monsef says that in Canada, women hold only one-fifth of the positions on corporate boards.

The funding, announced on International Women’s Day, is also meant to help corporations improve those statistics, as well as increase the number of women represented throughout the organization.

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