The registry, at mindthegap.nz, was launched yesterday, International Women’s Day.
The registry includes the company name, board chair, and chief executive.
Some of the names already on it include Air New Zealand, Auckland Transport, and AIA insurance, all of which have pay gaps.
Prof Helen Roberts said it was a good move.
People needed to start talking about pay gaps, she said.
“Women are not earning as much as men, and that’s not fair.”
A pay gap is the difference between the average salaries of two different groups of people, usually based on gender or ethnicity.
For example, according to mindthegap.nz, for every dollar a Pakeha man earns, a Pakeha woman earns $0.89 and a Maori man earns $0.86, and a Maori woman earns $0.81.
Prof Roberts said because New Zealand did not require pay gap reporting, as Australia and the United Kingdom do, mindthegap.nz provided a necessary service.
She said international research showed that once we knew what and where the gaps were we could begin filling them.
New Zealand was fairer than some countries, but there was room for improvement.
“We are lower than the United States and United Kingdom, but for women aged 40 to 44 the pay gap is at 16%, which is high.”
Prof Roberts said recent studies showed having more women on a company board increased women’s representation overall.
New Zealand needed more women moving up organisational ladders faster and having opportunities equal to their male counterparts.
“It’s time to get rid of glass ceilings,” she said.
