Gender inequality in Hungary
Two thirds of the PR profession is made up of women, but the reverse is true for managers, the Hungarian Public Relations Association (MPRSZ) pointed out. Overall, the PR industry in both the US and Europe is dominated by women. However, despite the fact that the majority of people working in this field are female, the majority of management positions are still filled with men. Even in Northern Europe, where gender equality has become an integral part of corporate culture, this disparity is still apparent.
“Over the past decades, the nature of this sector has evolved a lot, and attention to conscious communication by companies and institutions has increased, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. More women than average are working in this profession, both globally and in this country, setting an example for other sectors. Although communication tasks may require a constant presence in our fast-paced digital world, there are many examples of atypical work and teleworking in this field, which can help women raising children and starting their families. However, despite these positive trends, there is still a gap in the proportion of female managers. One of MPRSZ’s aims is to raise awareness of good practices and to promote successful career paths for women in the Hungarian communication profession.” – said Zsófia Bánhegyi, Vice President of MPRSZ. (source)
Gender inequality in the world
According to the GWPR Annual Index 2020, there is a clear link between diversity on the management level of a given company and the company’s actual financial performance. Corporate profits and share performance can be almost 50% higher when women are fairly represented in the boardroom. Senior-level female leaders also have a significant and meaningful impact on corporate culture. They are more likely than their male counterparts to embrace employee-friendly programs and policies or to champion gender and racial diversity. They are also much more likely to sponsor and mentor other women.
The report’s findings show that just as in Hungary, the PR boardroom continues to be dominated by men worldwide (64%), in spite of the industry being 2/3 female. Over a quarter (27%) of respondents say there is a gender pay gap in favor of men at senior management level in their organization. Furthermore, the vast majority (89%) believe that more needs to be done to ensure women in the PR industry have greater boardroom presence. (source)