On April 10th, the Anne Arundel Chamber will be holding a forum that will analyze and discuss the issues concerning the “gender gap” in the workplace. The forum is entitled, “Gender Equity in the Workplace Under Scrutiny” and will be held at the Anne Arundel Community College’s Cade Center. It will feature presentations from three local companies that have taken a proactive approach to address this issue with innovative programs and policies. The goal of the workshop is to share some “best practices” that can be replicated by other employers.
Over the last few years, there has been a growing concern about the “gender gap” and its impact in the workplace for both small and large employers. Today, women make up nearly half of the U.S. labor force and more women than ever are the breadwinners for their families. Yet in 2015, a woman working full-time all year in the United States earned about 80 percent of what a man would earn for the same job. Gender equity has become a national concern, and many companies have taken steps to address the issues surrounding the gender gap. Voters around the country and right here in Anne Arundel County have also taken steps to address this issue as over 100 women were elected as first-time members of Congress during the 2018 elections and local voters elected five women to the Anne Arundel County Council, which only has seven members.
The forum will focus on three specific topics:
- Discuss the unique approaches that women bring to leadership, wealth creation and management as well as examining essential financial issues and relationships for women.
- Address work environments that are safe spaces for women and people of all genders.
- Focus on how to change the cultural shift and develop effective policies to promote leadership for all employees.
Mary Ann Scully, the CEO of Howard Bank, will be the initial speaker and she will highlight her experiences as an executive in the banking industry and discuss some of the innovation she has implemented at Howard Bank. The Vice President of Human Resources from Baltimore Gas and Electric, Denise Galambos, will talk about the initiatives undertaken by BGE including being part of the White House Equal Pay Pledge. Tamiko Stanley, the Head of Diversity from the Anne Arundel Medical Center will focus on how the Medical Center has used its diversity programs to promote a more inclusive culture and as a recruitment tool.
The President and CEO of the Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce, Mark Kleinschmidt, said, “The issue of gender equity is being discussed throughout the country, and it is great to see several local companies step up and take a leadership role in establishing a more welcoming and equitable work place for women right here in Anne Arundel County. I encourage business owners, human resource managers and elected officials to attend.”
The cost of the forum is $25 for Chamber members and $50 for Non-Chamber Members. There are still several sponsorship opportunities available. The event will be held from 8:30am – 10:30am at: Anne Arundel Community College. For more information and to register for the “Gender Equity in the Workplace Under Scrutiny” forum please go to www.AnneArundelChamber.org.
