Across all disciplines, from sports to conservation, closing the gender pay gap has been a prominent issue since the beginning of civilization. 59 years after the Equal Pay Act was signed into law (June 10, 1963), the gap still exists – as best practices are overlooked.

In 1998, Venus Williams began her campaign for equal pay across the Women’s Tennis Association, and successfully advocated for women to receive equal prize money at Grand Slam Events. Ironically, at the 2007 Wimbledon Championships, Williams was the first recipient of equal pay at a Grand Slam that became the first to tackle this issue. However, even in 2022,  several other tournaments have yet to follow suit, which highlights the critical need for continued advocacy.

The environmental sector is not exempt from the issue. And, the pay gap is even wider for people of color – particularly women of color. Women of color make significantly less than their colleagues and peers, which negatively impacts efforts to create positive organizational cultures. With this in mind, The Ocean Foundation has committed to Green 2.0’s Pay Equity Pledge, a campaign to increase pay equity for people of color.

The Ocean Foundation's Green 2.0 Pay Equity Pledge. Our organization is committing to conducting a pay equity analysis of staff compensation to look at differences in compensation in regard to race, ethnicity, and gender, to collect and analyze relevant data, and take corrective actions to remediate pay disparities.

“Environmental organizations cannot promote diversity, equity, inclusion, or justice if they are still paying their staff of color, and especially women of color, less than their white or male colleagues.”

Green 2.0

The Pledge:

Our organization is committing to taking the following steps, as a part of joining the Pay Equity Pledge: 

  1. Conducting a pay equity analysis of staff compensation to look at differences in compensation regarding race, ethnicity, and gender;
  2. Collect and analyze relevant data; and
  3. Take corrective actions to remediate pay disparities. 

TOF will work to complete all steps of the pledge by June 30, 2023, and will communicate regularly and honestly with our employees and Green 2.0 regarding our progress. As a result of our commitment, TOF will: 

  • Create transparent compensation systems and objective metrics around recruitment, performance, advancement, and compensation to ensure consistency beyond the pledge;
  • Train all decision-makers about the compensation system, and teach them how to properly document decisions; and
  • Intentionally and proactively make equitable pay a part of our culture. 

TOF’s Pay Equity analysis will be led by members of the D.E.I.J. Committee and Human Resources Team. 

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