Gender and Standardization
Standards are not neutral; they reflect the priorities of those who create them. There’s a growing awareness that standards can affect people differently based on their gender. The United Nations has called on organizations like the SCC to:
- Recognize the important role standards play in society
- Acknowledge that women's representation in standards development is often very low and thus unacceptable
- Create a gender action plan to improve expertise and responsiveness to gender issues in standards.
Action Plan for Gender-Responsive Standards
We are working on a plan to address the gender gap in standardization and understand its causes and effects. Women’s involvement in standards development is crucial since standards contribute to increased productivity and economic growth. Here are some key points:
- Closing the gender gap could boost the global economy by $28 trillion by 2025.
- Women make up about 30% of experts in standards development according to ISO.
- In Canada, in 2022, women were 28% of participants in ISO mirror committees and 14% in IEC mirror committees, while they represent 48% of the workforce.
Strategy and Workplan Goals
- Improve Gender Representation: We will evaluate our committees to identify areas for better gender balance, comparing our findings with labor market demographics.
- Build Gender Expertise: We’re working on guidelines to create a more gender-responsive standardization system. This includes engaging with our partner organizations to implement these guidelines effectively.
- Conduct Research: We aim to lead in gender research within standardization to shape future policies. Our strategy spans from 2019 to 2025 and will be reviewed annually.
Gender-Based Analysis+
We report on our gender-based analysis+ (GBA+) initiatives, focusing on various identity factors to promote equality. We’re also implementing an employment equity program to review our policies.
Collaboration with Partners
We will work with key players in Canadian standardization and other organizations to ensure our strategy’s success. Our accredited Standards Development Organizations will be crucial in this effort. We plan to hold discussions on gender and standardization to explore growth opportunities and collaboration.
We will also use and support the work of other groups focused on gender inclusivity in standardization, including: