This month, a deal between the Rugby Union Players’ Association (RUPA) and Rugby Australia (RA) ensured that professional female rugby players in Australia will receive the same payment as male players. Up until now, they were paid less. The new policy, granting an entry-level salary of AUD 44,500 for everyone, also includes a pregnancy policy for the women’s sevens team (which, by the way, stands as the current Olympic champions). The players of the lower level Wallaroos team, who don’t play full time, additionally benefit: they’ll receive compensation for international and test matches, which take them away from their day jobs.

First the Arctic, now Australia. Just the other week, we wrote about Iceland’s historic legislation mandating equal pay for women. Last October, Norway was the first nation ever to pay their football teams the same amount. The question – as it always is with trends – is ‘how quickly will the expectations that these news stories create come knocking on your door?’

The answer is simple: soon. As the aptly-named female empowerment movement proclaimed: Time’s Up. We showed in GLASS BOX BRANDS how companies can no longer hide their internal operations. And if we didn’t convince you (😱), then the recent wave of corporate scandals should have shaken you out of any complacency. People will observe – and judge – the inner workings of every brand, in every industry. When customers peer inside your organization, make sure they like what they see.

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