Commitment to Gender Equality
MLC is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace, reflecting our values and mission as an all-girls’ school. Through Shaping Futures: MLC 2030 Strategic Plan, our ambition for girls and women is central in our vision to be a thriving learning community where each student is empowered to shape her own future. Our commitment to supporting the objectives of closing the gender pay gap and providing equal opportunities is evident in our sustained efforts to do so for all staff.
2023 – 2024 Gender Pay Gap (GPG) Report Summary
During the reporting period, MLC has continued to review and implement school-wide approaches to ensure an equitable and collaborative environment which it sees as integral to providing the highest standards of excellence in education. In doing so, MLC’s Industry Benchmark Report identifies improvement in the gender pay gap data on the previous year as follows:
Mean Gender Pay Gap: Reduced from 18.9% (2022 – 2023) to 13.9% (2023 – 2024)
Median Gender Pay Gap: Reduced from 33.9% (2022 – 2023) to 27.5% (2023 – 2024)
These actions include:
- Launching our new Strategic Plan with core pillars that include “Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity” and “Staff Collaboration and Excellence”.
- Incorporating terms within the MLC Enterprise Bargaining Agreements which sees the removal of junior aged-based rate reductions.
- Undertaking regular reviews of recruitment and selection processes to promote diversity and inclusion.
- Conducting annual employee pulse surveys for feedback on equity and workplace culture.
- Regular meetings of the Staff Consultative Committee which assists in the creation of fair workplace policies, with gender-balanced representation
Insights from the Gender Pay Gap Analysis
MLC is proudly a school for girls. This context leads to a workforce that is predominantly comprised of women across all levels of employment. Women are strongly represented across leadership positions, including at the Senior and Executive level of the College. Both the Principal and the Chair of Council are female. Likewise, women are strongly represented across part-time and casual positions, and it is this factor that contributes to the Gender Pay Gap.
The key drivers of the Gender Pay Gap can be summarised as follows:
- Casual Workforce Composition: A significant portion of the workforce comprises female casual employees (e.g. Graduates serving as sporting coaches and academic tutors).
- Industry-Specific Factors: Early Learning Centre roles, Boarding House roles and casual roles predominantly held by women align with national trends.
- Leadership Representation: Women are highly represented in senior leadership roles comprising 75% of key management personnel and 63% of middle management roles.
How we Use the GPG Data at MLC
While we recognise that our workforce composition, for the reasons outlined earlier will, invariably result in a GPG, we are committed to utilising the data to understand where any improvements in policies and practices might be needed.
MLC’s Ongoing Commitment to Gender Equity
MLC remains committed to growing the next generation of educators and leaders and to remaining an equitable workplace. We believe that by fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, we can better serve our community and provide a richer educational experience for our students. We see opportunities to develop this further including by sharing stories of female staff progression into leadership roles as evidence of impact. We are pleased to share this statement on our website, enabling us to share our progress, insights and strategies for the future.