Report on Gender Equality in Long Island Corporate Leadership

Executive Summary: Progress and Persistent Gaps in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

This report analyzes the state of female representation in executive roles at publicly traded companies on Long Island, evaluating progress and persistent challenges in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While recent appointments of female CEOs signal positive momentum, significant disparities remain, hindering the achievement of Gender Equality (SDG 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10).

• Positive Developments: The appointments of Anesa Chaibi at Global Industrial Co. Inc. and Judy Murrah at Applied DNA Sciences Inc. mark progress in female leadership.
• Key Challenges: Severe underrepresentation in CEO roles, a substantial gender pay gap, and systemic barriers to promotion for women, particularly women of color, demonstrate that corporate structures are not yet aligned with SDG principles.

Analysis of Corporate Leadership and Alignment with SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

Representation in Senior Management and Target 5.5

Target 5.5 of the SDGs calls for women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making. The data from Long Island indicates a significant shortfall in meeting this objective.

• Only 6 of over 60 publicly traded companies on Long Island have a female chief executive.
• While women’s representation in C-suite positions has risen nationally to 29% from 17% in 2015, the local data shows parity remains a distant goal.
• In 2024, only 26 of the 162 top-paid executives (16%) at these companies were women, an improvement from 4% a decade prior but still indicative of a major imbalance.

Economic Disparities and Contradiction of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

The Gender Pay Gap and Target 8.5

Target 8.5 aims to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including equal pay for work of equal value. The compensation data reveals a stark gender pay disparity that directly contravenes this goal.

• The median compensation for the 136 highest-paid male executives in 2024 was $911,820.
• The median compensation for the 26 highest-paid female executives was $547,036, representing a significant gap.
• The top-paid female executive, with a $2.8 million package, ranked only 29th on the overall list, underscoring the economic inequality at the highest corporate levels.

Systemic Barriers and the Challenge to SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

The “Broken Rung”: Hindering Equal Opportunity

Target 10.2 aims to empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all. A primary obstacle identified is the “broken rung” on the corporate ladder, where women are passed over for their first promotion to management, perpetuating inequality at senior levels.

• For every 100 men promoted to a management position, only 81 women were promoted.

Intersectional Disadvantages for Racial Minorities

The challenge of inequality is compounded for women of color and minority employees, highlighting a critical failure to ensure equal opportunity as mandated by SDG 10.3.

• Promotion Gap for Women of Color:
  • For every 100 men promoted, only 54 Black women were promoted.
  • For every 100 men promoted, only 65 Latinas were promoted.
• The “Double Broken Rung”: Black employees face compounded barriers, being passed over for promotions and also being more likely to leave their companies, which severely depletes the talent pipeline for senior roles.

Strategic Recommendations for Building Inclusive Institutions (SDG 16)

Proven Practices for Corporate Accountability

To build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels (Target 16.6), companies can adopt proven strategies to promote fairness and advance gender and racial equity. However, fewer than 25% of companies have adopted these comprehensive practices.

1. Implement mandatory bias training for hiring managers to address unconscious prejudices in recruitment and promotion.
2. Establish and utilize clear, transparent, and objective evaluation criteria in the promotion process to ensure fairness.
3. Invest in top talent early in their careers, with specific programs designed to nurture and instill confidence in female and minority employees.

Leadership Commitment to Advancing the SDGs

The commitment of new leaders like Murrah and Chaibi to mentor and empower women is crucial. Their focus on STEM advocacy and creating an empowering corporate culture directly supports the creation of inclusive workplaces.

• Fostering a corporate culture where women are empowered to contribute and are confident they will be rewarded is essential for sustainable progress.
• Identifying and nurturing young, diverse talent can help them launch careers in ways they never anticipated, directly contributing to the goals of SDGs 5, 8, and 10.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights issues of gender inequality in corporate leadership, pay disparities, and barriers to career advancement for women, especially women of color. These topics are directly connected to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 5: Gender Equality – This is the primary SDG addressed, as the article’s central theme is the underrepresentation of women in CEO and C-suite positions, the gender pay gap, and the “broken rung” on the corporate ladder that hinders women’s promotion to managerial roles.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article discusses disparities in compensation and the challenges women face in achieving promotions, which relates to the goal of achieving full, productive employment and decent work for all, including equal pay for work of equal value.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – The article explicitly points out the magnified challenges faced by women of color, such as Black women and Latinas, in securing promotions. This directly addresses the goal of reducing inequalities based on gender and race within the economic sphere.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

SDG 5: Gender Equality

• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
  
  The article directly relates to this target by highlighting the low number of women CEOs on Long Island (“only 6 of the more than 60 Long Island public companies have a woman as their chief executive”). It also discusses the slow progress in women’s representation in top executive roles, even though there have been gains (“women today make up 29% of C-suite positions, compared to just 17% in 2015”).

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.
  
  This target is addressed through the article’s detailed discussion of the gender pay disparity. It provides specific data showing that women executives earn significantly less than their male counterparts on Long Island (“The median pay package for the 26 women was $547,036” compared to “$911,820” for men). This demonstrates a clear failure to achieve “equal pay for work of equal value.”

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.
  
  The article connects to this target by focusing on the intersection of gender and race in corporate advancement. It points out that the “broken rung” on the corporate ladder disproportionately affects women of color, citing that “for every 100 men promoted… only 54 [Black women] were promoted… followed by Latinas, where only 65 were promoted.” This highlights a lack of economic inclusion for specific ethnic groups.
• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory… practices and promoting appropriate… policies and action.
  
  This target is relevant as the article discusses the “proven practices” companies can adopt to ensure fairness, such as “bias training for hiring managers and using clear evaluation criteria in the promotion process.” The fact that “fewer than 25% of companies have adopted these practices” indicates a gap in implementing policies to ensure equal opportunity.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

Indicators for SDG 5 (Target 5.5)

• Proportion of women in senior and middle management positions: The article provides specific data points that serve as indicators.
  • Percentage of publicly traded companies with female CEOs on Long Island (6 out of 60, or 10%).
  • Percentage of women in C-suite positions (29% in 2024, up from 17% in 2015).
  • Percentage of women among top-paid executives (26 out of 162, or 16%).

Indicators for SDG 8 (Target 8.5)

• Gender Pay Gap: The article measures this by comparing the median compensation packages of top-paid male and female executives.
  • Median pay for men: $911,820.
  • Median pay for women: $547,036.

Indicators for SDG 10 (Targets 10.2 & 10.3)

• Promotion Rate by Gender and Race: The article implies an indicator by citing promotion ratios.
  • Ratio of women promoted to management for every 100 men (81 women per 100 men).
  • Ratio of Black women promoted to management for every 100 men (54 women per 100 men).
  • Ratio of Latinas promoted to management for every 100 men (65 women per 100 men).
• Proportion of racial minorities in senior-level executive jobs: The article provides a national statistic that can be used as a benchmark indicator.
  • Black employees hold only 3% of senior-level executive jobs nationally despite making up 14% of the U.S. workforce.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: newsday.com