The Women in Governance Parity Certification is an assessment tool designed to increase women’s representation in workplaces, especially those sectors or roles where women have been traditionally underrepresented. Organizations with more than 400 employees can apply for certification.

Levels of Certification:

Bronze
Silver/Argent
Gold/Or
Platinum/Platine

Assessment Criteria:

• Strategy: Governance and Visions – policies and practices related to strategic direction and decisionmaking, an organization’s commitment and pursuit of parity, and how it is building an inclusive pipeline
• Action: Collective Enablers – demonstrates policies, practices, and actions focused on achieving parity at all levels
• Result: Equity – the outcomes of gender equality strategy and actions have resulted in progress towards parity in representation at all levels, in promotion and hiring, and in salary

The methodology (questionnaire) was developed with assistance from McKinsey & Company in 2016, and Women in Governance has a number of partners and consultants that conduct the evaluation.

Certification Process:

1. Assessment – complete pre-qualification and questionnaire
2. Certification – receive a level of certification and customized report
3. Gender Parity Community – participate in HR forums and women in leadership events
4. Recognition and Branding – attend the annual recognition gala and leverage certification
5. Enablement Services – develop a Roadmap to Parity
6. Recertification – sustain gender parity

Completing the certification questionnaire can take between eight and 15 hours, depending on whether or not an organization has assembled all required information. Women in Governance provides a customized report following the assessment and has an “Enablement Services” offering which can further support progress to implement and build on the report.

Recertification Process:

Organizations are required to recertify every year to encourage continuous work towards gender parity by inputting their new or revised data into a confidential online platform. If a company has not made improvements, they can maintain their current level, but they can also drop levels if they regress.

To read more about the Women in Governance Parity Certification, click here.