The Financy Women’s Index has secured a longer-term sponsorship arrangement with Australian listed fintech group OneVue Holdings (OVH), in another sign that support continues to grow for the Australian economic progress benchmark.
The funding will be used to grow data capabilities and enhancements of future reports and comes ahead of the October 2nd release of the upcoming September quarter Women’s Index.
Having launched the Women’s index 18 months ago, we’ve had strong support from corporate sponsors on tracking the economic progress of
Australian women and I’m thrilled to have OneVue along for the journey.
OneVue Managing Director Connie McKeage said “we need to continue to discuss important issues like inclusion and gender balance around board
room tables and as management, however we also need to increase the activity around these matters.
“We need sustainable change and Financy’s Women’s Index is one of the levers we can rely on to provide facts to support our calls to action.
“Every step forward we take as organisations that care, no matter how small those steps may seem at the time, can contribute to creating a better more
balanced future.”
I’ve also been working with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and can share that ABS chief economist Bruce Hockman has joined the newly formed Advisory Committee that reviews and supports the Women’s Index.
The purpose of the Women’s Index is to encourage women to become fearless in life by empowering them with reliable statistics and information to
manage hurdles and identify opportunities so that they may become more financially savvy and economically empowered.
The Women’s Index is also in talks with a number of other potential sponsors and will soon announce further funding support.
In June, an advisory committee was formed to review and support future developmental changes and enhancements of the Financy Women’s Index to
ensure the integrity of future reports.
This Committee includes AMP Capital’s Head of Investment Strategy and Chief Economist Shane Oliver, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group’s
Senior Economist Joanne Masters, Deloitte Access Economics Partner Nicki Hutley, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research Professorial Research Fellow Roger Wilkins, Agenda Agency founder Heidi Sundin and ABS chief economist Bruce Hockman.
As a financial journalist and mum of three daughters, I’m passionate about better educating women and girls on money, as well as identifying the real
changes taking place in society and the opportunities available.
Although the Financy Women’s Index was developed to speak more directly to women on economic progress, the facts are we need both men and women
influencers to create a swell of change. Together, this is the only way forward – both women and men need to appreciate the value of women’s
money matters.
Key findings of the June Women’s index:
- The Index edged 0.3 percentage points higher to 111 points in the June quarter from March 2018
- The June quarter result continues to lag the December quarter and is down 2 percentage points from 113 points
- The June rebound was helped by board appointments and jobs growth
- Women are faced with a national gender pay gap of 14.6% and a superannuation savings gender gap of 30% at retirement age.
