Businesses must use the Gender Pay Gap Toolkit to help address the 8.2 percent gender pay gap, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg said on International Women’s Day.

The gender pay gap currently sits at 8.2 percent, and research by the Retirement Commission has revealed a 36% gap in the amounts men and women contribute to KiwiSaver each year.

Grigg highlighted that this gap is primarily caused by the gender pay gap rather than differences in contribution rates.

“Until women have equal choice, equal opportunities, and are valued equally, there is more work to be done,” Grigg said. “My top priority as Minister for Women is to support women’s economic empowerment, because not only does it give women more choice, but it also has a ripple effect on families, communities, and the economy.”

Grigg announced the first-ever government-backed gender pay gap toolkit last year, which has already received over 16,000 visits and 750 downloads of its workbook. While she expressed satisfaction with this uptake, Grigg noted that many businesses and organisations have yet to engage with the resource.

“The Government is working to improve economic outcomes for women through initiatives such as lifting incomes, supporting pathways into education and the labour market, increasing paid parental leave, and driving change in key areas that impact women’s employment, such as women in leadership and the gender pay gap,” Grigg said.

Grigg also emphasised that the gender pay gap is not just a statistic, but a reflection of systemic barriers that hold women back. This year’s International Women’s Day theme, ‘accelerating action and making real impact and progress’, aligns with the Government’s ongoing commitment to close the gender pay gap.

“Today I challenge all businesses to accelerate their own actions towards closing their gender pay gap by using the gender pay gap calculator on the Ministry for Women’s website,” Grigg said.

The Government’s toolkit aims to equip businesses with the tools to identify and address pay disparities, helping them take action and reduce the gender pay gap. Grigg’s call to action encourages businesses to take responsibility for their role in creating equal opportunities for women in the workplace.

“To all women and girls across New Zealand, I wish you a very happy International Women’s Day,” Grigg concluded.