The implementation of National Gender Policy Framework in addressing gender equality in selected Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed retail companies

Abstract

Research context: This article is based on the research that was conducted in selected JSE-listed companies in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The researchers investigated the implementation of the National Gender Policy Framework as a guidance provided by government to achieve Sustainable Development Goal number 5, which is gender equality. 

Research problem: Gender equity has been a challenge in many South African organisations, especially at promoting African women to the executive and senior managerial positions. Therefore, the government developed a National Gender Policy Framework, which has up to date did not yield the envisaged results. This research is thus instituted against the background that there is paucity of research on the implementation of National Gender Policy Framework. 

Aim: The aim of the research was to investigate how companies implement the National Gender Policy Framework when recruiting and placing individuals in senior managerial positions. Three prominent retail companies in Limpopo Province were purposefully selected to participate in the study, namely, Woolworths, Pick ’n Pay and Shoprite. 

Research method: A qualitative research method was used to collect and analyse data. The researchers used purposive sampling techniques to select the participants in the study. 

Research findings: The results of the analysis of data showed that organizational cultures that are pro male leadership, were a great deterrent to the achievement of gender equity. Furthermore, organisations do little to monitor or evaluate the progress made on the implementation of National Gender Policy Framework. 

Conclusion: The study concluded that South African government has plethora of gender equality policies which should be aligned for effectiveness. This is because companies are bombarded with new policies before the effectiveness of the previous policies are properly evaluated. 

Recommendations: The study makes a valuable contribution in the sense that it recommends that the government should develop a set of stringent measuring instruments that would be used by companies to evaluate the effectiveness of current policies and progress made in addressing gender inequality.