Background context
In 2018, efforts to eliminate the Public Service GPG were boosted by the tri-partite Gender Pay Principles l Ngā Mātāpono Utu Ira Tangata, and the Public Service Gender Pay Gap Action Plan l Te Mahere Mahi Rerekētanga Ira Tangata, a joint initiative of Government, Chief Executives and the Public Service Association (PSA). The principles provide an enduring framework for achieving working environments free from gender-based inequalities. The 2018/20 Action Plan contained actions and milestones to drive progress in these key areas:
- Equal pay
- Flexible work by default
- No bias or discrimination in remuneration systems and Human Resources practices
- Gender balanced leadership.
In 2020 Papa Pounamu, the Chief Executive-led diversity and inclusion steering group for the Public Service, determined five priorities for Public Service agencies. In addition, the new Public Service Act described the obligation of Chief Executives to increase diversity and inclusion in their agencies.
By working to increase gender equity and close their gender pay gaps, agencies are implementing the GPG Action Plan and the Gender Pay Principles, and are progressing the Papa Pounamu priorities and meeting Public Service Act obligations.
All these initiatives have contributed to fairer workplaces.
MSD’s 2021/22 Gender and Ethnic Action Plan built on progress already made in previous years, with a specific focus on longer-term solutions that begin to address vertical and occupational segregation for Māori, Pacific and Asian employees, especially Māori, Pacific and Asian female employees.
The key focus areas for 2021/22 were:
- Equal pay
- Flexible work
- People practices
- Balanced leadership
- Diversity and inclusion.
For the past 12 months MSD has woven actions that relate to reporting and communication into all five focus areas above.
Kia Toipoto 2021/24
In 2021, the public service launched a new Gender and Ethnic Pay Gap framework called Kia Toipoto. Kia Toipoto is the overarching guidance for the period 2021/24, with key actions for each year. MSD had already begun reporting and consciously addressing its gender and ethnic pay gaps before Kia Toipoto was launched and will continue to create, improve, and review its processes and next steps, actions and efforts to close these GEPG. Over the next 12 months MSD aims to align even further with Kia Toipoto, continue to review their renewed guidance and hone in on key focus areas.
Kia Toipoto’s six key pou driving the guidance for closing gender and ethnic pay gaps across the public service are:
- Te pono | Transparency
- Ngā hua tōkeke mō te Utu | Equitable pay outcomes
- Te whai kanohi i ngā taumata katoa | Leadership and representation
- Te whakawhanaketanga i te aramahi | Effective career and leadership development
- Te whakakore i te katoa o ngā momo whakatoihara, haukume anō hoki | Eliminating all forms of bias and discrimination
- Te taunoa o te mahi pīngore | Flexible-work-by-default
