Diana Parkes (left) author of the Women’s Sat Nav to Success Survey is helping LV= to deliver a new Women’s Career Development Programme. Diana is seen here with Broker Marketing Director and Chair of Women’s Network (PACE) at LV= Anna Cole.
Dorset-based insurer LV= has become the latest sponsor of the 2018 Women’s Sat Nav to Success Survey, created by Bournemouth author and psychologist Diana Parkes.
As part of the sponsorship LV= is urging all its female employees to take part in a ground-breaking survey to help bridge the gender pay gap.
Diana, a former senior manager with global organisations such as Mars, Coca-Cola and Carlsberg, is also helping LV= to deliver a new development programme, targeted at women who have the desire to embrace their potential and progress their careers, with the aim of ensuring more women move into senior roles.
Diana said: “I’m pleased that LV= is taking the issue of gender diversity seriously.
“The Women’s Sat Nav to Success Survey is the result of seven years’ research and its findings will provide employers, professional institutions and policy makers with a clear picture of specifically what needs to change, why and how.”
The first annual *Women’s Sat Nav to Success survey carried out by Diana Parkes in 2017 found that only one in 10 women had clarity on where they can progress to.
While only 14 per cent proactively asked for higher rewards or new opportunities. And only 55 per cent felt their contribution was valued.
“This combination of not being heard and not speaking up is a fundamental driver of the gender pay gap,” she said.
“The great news is that half of the women who took part in the first survey said they changed their approach as a result and were able to take immediate action, ranging from taking an opportunity they hadn’t considered before, to securing a mentor, to even applying for a new job.”
Diana Parkes climbed the corporate ladder, achieving senior management positions. But when she was passed over for a second board position in favour of a lesser qualified male she gave up her six-figure salary to work towards gender equality.
She is now working with businesses across the south to address the lack of women in leadership, key professions and industries, and the gender pay gap.
Diana has identified 20 critical strategies for realising women’s career potential, which both employers and women can follow.
The no-nonsense approach focuses on solutions that cut through the issues undermining the recognition, retention and progression of female employees.
Anna Cole, Marketing Director at LV=, said: “At LV= we do ensure equal pay but, following a deeper analysis of our gender pay gap, we know that our gap is driven by the structure of our workforce. At present, we have a lower representation of women in senior leadership roles and this is something we want to change.
“We’ve already committed to achieving at least 33 per cent of female representation on our executive committee and their direct reports by 2019 as well as 40 per cent, or above, female representation at senior levels within LV= by 2020.
“We’re working hard to deliver on this promise and are doing so through a variety of means including a cross-company, cross-sector mentoring scheme, our Women’s Career Development Programme and the PACE gender network, which acts to strengthen role model visibility and amplify male ally advocacy.
“We’re also very pleased to be working with Diana and will be drawing on the valuable research she has undertaken.”
Other supporters of the 2018 Women’s Sat Nav to Success Survey include Workingmums.co.uk, The Successful Women in Business (SWIB) Network and the Dorset Institute of Directors (IOD).
To take part in the Women’s Sat Nav Survey 2018, please visit: https://womenssatnav.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/2018
Picture caption: Diana Parkes (left) author of the Women’s Sat Nav to Success Survey is helping LV= to deliver a new Women’s Career Development Programme. Diana is seen here with Broker Marketing Director and Chair of Women’s Network (PACE) at LV= Anna Cole.
Media information: Debbie Granville at Deep South Media on 07884 657782 email: Debbie.granville@deepsouthmedia.co.uk
*The report which followed the first Women’s Sat Nav to Success survey was called The Stretch Potential.
