The report puts a spotlight on gender equality within fashion, proposing cross-cultural and institutional solutions to close the gender wage gap. A joint effort by PwC and the Global Fashion Agenda emphasises that the pay gap "indicates a wage difference that cannot be explained by any factor other than gender." Previous pay transparency directives only address larger industries, missing the majority of the Italian market and its workers. This report attempts to bridge this gap with a specific focus on the challenges women face in the small-scale fashion workforce.
The EU’s 2023 pay transparency directive, which requires businesses with over 100 employees to submit pay data was a move towards targeting the gender pay gap. However, in Italy, the fashion industry is dominated by micro-enterprises, which make up 80% of the sector, and employ over 60% women. As a result, a significant portion of the workforce—particularly women—falls outside the scope of this directive. This report calls for transparency obligations of SMEs and subcontractors opening up discussions about economies that fall outside of current labour laws and legislations.
About the Global Fashion Agenda:
The Global Fashion Agenda is an international organisation committed to driving sustainability and equality in the fashion industry. It works with leaders and stakeholders to implement impactful solutions for a fairer and more sustainable global fashion system.
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