The World Economic Forum has been awarded the Swiss "equal salary" label for institutionalizing pay equality between women and men. The Forum is the second organization in the country to obtain this award from equal-salary, a government-backed certification system launched two years ago.

"The Forum is one of the first organizations to uphold equal pay as part of its commitment to gender equality," said Véronique Goy Veenhuys, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of equal-salary. "While many businesses profess to uphold salary equality for women and men who do the same job or are on the same level, the reality is that, in Switzerland, there is a 19% pay gap," she said. The certification aims to set a benchmark and validate businesses' efforts to close the salary gap.

"The Forum is committed to global gender equality and it stands to reason that we would apply this principle within our own foundation," said André Schneider, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the World Economic Forum. "Gender parity across all aspects of life is imperative for economically competitive, fair, healthy and educated societies. This is why we established the Women Leaders and Gender Parity Programme, which works around the globe with leaders to close the gender gap," he said.

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