Gender Equality Case Study: Mecca

Initiative Description

Continuation of superannuation payments while on parental leave​

 We pay superannuation to team members on parental leave for up to 52 weeks. 

Context

We’re actively addressing the gender superannuation gap.

According to data from the Australian Tax Office, women in Australia arrive at retirement with 20.5% less in superannuation than men, with women more likely to live in poverty in retirement. This gap will only increase due to the impacts of the pandemic, which has widened the gender pay gap due to female dominated industries being worst hit, and women often being in casualised work.

According to Australians Investing in Women, women shouldered three out of five job losses across Australia in 2020. In Victoria, this increased to women experiencing 4 out of 5 job losses. Of course, as the pay gap widens, so does the gender super gap.

Action

MECCA introduced continuation of superannuation in 2019 to address the growing super gap in Australia. Our policy is to pay team members who have been with the business for more than 18 months up to 52 weeks of superannuation. This policy applies to team members taking both paid and unpaid parental leave.

Result

Since January 2019, we’ve had 236 employees on paid parental leave, where 16 have been on it twice (out of a workforce of over 4500 team members). Of these team members, around 60 per cent have been from stores, around 30 per cent have been from Support Centre, and 10 per cent from our Distribution Centre. Based on current projections, MECCA will have paid 2132 weeks of paid parental leave and total of 10,839 weeks of superannuation between January 2019 and May 2022.

Lessons Learnt

Since January 2019, we’ve had 236 employees on paid parental leave, where 16 have been on it twice (out of a workforce of over 4500 team members). Of these team members, around 60 per cent have been from stores, around 30 per cent have been from Support Centre, and 10 per cent from our Distribution Centre. Based on current projections, MECCA will have paid 2132 weeks of paid parental leave and total of 10,839 weeks of superannuation between January 2019 and May 2022.