Sydney, Australia—Dentons is a leader in the professional services industry when it comes to the gender pay gap according to figures released from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) today.

Dentons recorded a gender pay gap of just 5.6% in the WGEA 2023 Gender Equality Scorecard, compared to an Australian average of 21.7%. The Scorecard analyses the results of the 2022-23 data reported by private sector employers with 100 or more employees in WGEA’s annual Employer Census.

The gender pay gap is a measure of how the contribution of men and women in the workforce is valued. Expressed as a percentage or a dollar figure, it shows the difference between the average earnings of women and men. The gender pay gap is different from equal pay (where women and men are paid the same for performing the same role or different work of equal or comparable value).

The achievement comes in addition to Dentons being named as a WGEA Employer of Choice in 2023, for the third time.

Gender equity forms a core part of Dentons’ strategy and is driven by the Firm’s leadership and endorsed by its Board.

Dentons Australia Chair and Australasia Region CEO, Doug Stipanicev, said “Dentons is proud to be a leader in the legal industry when it comes to reducing the gender pay gap. Diversity and equity form a core part of our strategy, which is why we have been able to successfully implement initiatives that have led to true, positive outcomes for our employees and our organisation.”

These initiatives include removing barriers to partnership to make it more achievable regardless of role, and aiming to ensure employees earn within 1% of their peers in the same role. Dentons also introduced a new Family Leave Policy in December 2022, which introduced definitions that cover ‘family’, so that anyone who is a direct carer of a child has access to the same amount of leave, and also so that non-traditional family types could have equitable access to the leave. For example, kinship groups for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and grandparents.

Dentons’ Agile Working Policy has also been key to removing barriers to accessing flexibility and in turn, helping to reduce the gender pay gap. Eighty-nine per cent of employees said they had the flexibility they needed to achieve work-life balance in the Firm’s September 2022 Engagement Survey.

Dentons’ Chief Operating Officer, Maureen Migliazzo said Dentons’ success comes down to not only its commitment to increasing gender equity, but understanding the unique reasons behind why a gap exists. Dentons’ approach to gender equity has also received strong support and interest from the Firm’s clients.

“Our clients have responded really positively to the approach we have taken, and many have approached us seeking advice on how they can share gender pay gap information within their own organisations and take steps to reduce it.”

Mr. Stipanicev added that the work towards gender equity would continue. “Equity and inclusion will remain a focus for us, and we will continue to work with WGEA to further gender equity at Dentons, and the legal profession.”

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