The Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) has always championed gender equality—but now the nonprofit is trying to analyze the real-time status of women in the industry, to gauge the prevalence and impacts of gender-based inequalities and discriminations.
The organization has partnered with industry research group MVI to develop a survey, the WJA Gender Equality Project, that launched yesterday and will be open for between 30 and 60 days (depending on the speed of response).
Once the survey is closed, the data and information collected will be collated, analyzed, and published. If you’re a jewelry professional, you can access and take the survey here.
Questions include if and when you’ve experienced gender discrimination in the workplace, if you reported the incident/incidents, and what the outcome of the complaint(s) was.
It also asks if you’re aware of your company’s policies pertaining to sexual harassment, hostile workplace, and gender equality; how seriously you take gender discrimination, hostile work environment, sexual harassment, and gender equality; if you’ve personally experienced a hostile work environment, gender-based discrimination, and other gender-based offenses; and if you’ve asked for maternity leave and if you returned early from maternity leave.
Survey results will drive and inform future initiatives for the WJA Gender Equality Project, which could include “the development of workplace coaching and mentorship, advocating for the placement of qualified women on industry boards, as well as other education, professional development, and leadership training initiatives,” according to a prepared statement from the WJA.
“The WJA Gender Equality Project survey was designed to allow an owner or manager—or an employee—to answer the questions from the individual’s position in the workplace,” says Bernadette Mack, WJA executive director, in the statement. “We want all points of view represented in the results.”
A WJA Gender Equality Project task force has been meeting since 2017 to address workplace issues.
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
