This guide will assist your organization in setting realistic targets to improve the gender diversity of your workforce. If your organization has already achieved a desired gender balance, this guide may help in monitoring and maintaining that balance. Similar to setting financial or other operational targets within an organization, establishing realistic gender targets based on rigorous analysis and baseline data will significantly increase your chances of achieving the target. This guide includes a checklist of organizational elements required to support the achievement of targets and step-by-step instructions for target setting.

Checklist before you start target setting (the first three are a must):

• Leadership commitment – from all levels of management
• Strategic intent – gender equality has a strategy and plan
• Stakeholder management – internal and external communication
• Accountability – identifiable accountabilities
• Measurement and reporting – commitment to embed targets into business units’ goals
• Organizational culture and systems – reviewed policies and processes that impact gender equality

The seven-step target setting process outlined in the guide is as follows:

1. Establish a target setting project team
2. Define your target group
3. Clarify your assumptions: Consider the size of the organization, possible restructuring changes, specific interventions already in place, etc.
4. Conduct a thorough analysis: Identify actions, activities, or changes needed to meet the targets.
5. Review employee turnover and recruitment: Use longterm data, break down turnover and recruitment.
6. Establish a timeframe for achieving of the target: Five years is an effective period.
7. Clarify accountabilities: Assign accountabilities and measuring, monitoring, and reporting processes.

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