While the commercial makes a power statement for women, the company does little to hire and promote female workers
If you missed Audi’s Super Bowl ad showing a young girl racing a go-kart against other boys while her dad contemplates how or whether to tell his daughter that she will never be worth as much as men, you can check it out here.
Sure, the commercial is done well. It’s inspiring. It speaks directly to a truth that needs to be changed – that women earn far less than men.
Audi’s message – “Audi of America is committed to equal pay for equal work. Progress for everyone.” But is equal pay and opportunity the policy at Audi?
The Facts at Audi
According to a Huffington Post article, just 22% of the Audi’s workforce is female, and only 12% of its senior management is female. Just two women serve on the carmaker’s US executive team, and there are no women on the six-member global management board.
Equal Opportunity Means More Than Just Equal Pay
It does not matter that a company may pay women the same as men if women are being hired in much fewer numbers. Further, if women are not afforded the same opportunities for advancement at a company as their male counterparts, their pay, abilities, and skills will continue to be stifled, which in turn will perpetuate male-dominated senior and executive positions.
While Audi reportedly pledged to put in place aggressive hiring strategies to employ more women, the fact is that at the present, the reality is far different than advertised. We hope that Audi can report back soon that women are equally represented at all company levels.
