The climate crisis is not gender neutral

According to the UN, climate change disproportionately impacts women and girls.  

That’s because in many regions, women bear a disproportionate responsibility for securing food, water, and fuel. UN Environment Programme research also suggests that women are more likely than men to face serious harm during natural disasters.  

Agriculture is the most important employment sector for women in low- and lower-middle income countries, it’s also one of the sectors most impacted by climate change. This directly puts women’s incomes at risk during droughts or natural disasters.   

In low-income countries, a disruption to the family resources from an event like a drought or flood can also put pressure on girls, who may have to leave education to help.  

The gender pay gap and gender super gap 

Of course, at Future Super we’ve got our eye on the super gap. In the age group where people are close to retirement, women have an average of 25% less in their super than men. 

One contributing factor to the super gap is the gender pay gap, which in Australia is 12% - or about $238 per week, based on full time average weekly earnings. So, women need to work an additional 44 days a year to earn the same as men.  

That number comes just from weekly earnings, but if you include superannuation, bonuses and overtime, the gender pay gap grows to 19%. 

Another contributor to the super gap is super not being paid on parental leave. The government has only just mandated super be paid on parental leave from July 1 this year.  

How to host an IWD event that matters at your workplace 

1. Connect to the issues that matter to your workplace 
   At the core of everything we do at Future Super is fighting for a future worth retiring into by advocating for action on climate change. Nothing changes about that on IWD, gender equality is needed in every social movement and industry. So work out what IWD means to your workplace – do you care about gender equity in technology? Or women’s representation in advertising? By connecting your event to the work you do your audience is going to be more engaged and get more out of it.  

2. Set an agenda that’s anything but basic  
   If you’re committed to delivering an unforgettable IWD event, forget the cupcakes and ditch the snooze-worthy speeches, think bigger, braver, bolder. Can you gamify fundraising? What about a workshop session with your team? Think about ways to get people talking. 

3. Invite everyone  
   IWD is for everyone, invite your male and non-binary colleagues to join the conversation and build equality together. Shout out allies in the office who are making a difference and celebrate their impact as role models. And remember, this applies to planning too – all the responsibility for planning and organising events shouldn’t fall to women. 

A Note on Language: 

You’ll notice in this article we use terms like 'men' and 'women,' while recognising that gender exists beyond the binary. Since 2021, Australian employers have been able to report on employees identifying as 'non-binary' through the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). However, the current sample size remains small, limiting broader representation in data. Despite these limitations, we’re committed to advancing inclusive, safe, and representative practices in data collection to ensure all genders are acknowledged and supported, so you’ll see us continue to use inclusive language, policies and initiatives. Our goal at Future Super is to create a culture where everyone, regardless of gender identity, feels seen, valued and empowered.