Survey Shines a Light on Gender Issues in Jewelry Industry

New York—The Women’s Jewelry Association just released the results of its first Gender Equality Survey, a survey it fielded last fall to gauge the prevalence of gender discrimination, sexual harassment and pay disparity in the jewelry industry.

Nearly 600 people, a mix of employees and owners, took the survey, which was conducted anonymously. Women comprised the majority of respondents, 91 percent of employees and 66 percent of owners.

Overall, the survey shows there is a gap between what goes on at companies and what gets reported to higher-ups. In many cases, employees are reticent to report incidences because they fear retaliation or have a negative impact on their standing in the company.

A total of 16 percent of employees who took the survey report they have been the target of unwanted sexual advances, but only 3 percent of owners said they’ve received complaints about such advances at their companies.

Twenty-three percent of employees have experienced sexual harassment, but only 5 percent of owners reported receiving harassment complaints.

Thirty percent said they’ve been denied equal opportunity for advancement, but, again, only 2 percent of owners said they’ve heard about it.

Thirty-eight percent of respondents—all female—said they have been affected by pay disparity but only 2 percent of owners said they’ve received complaints about unequal pay.

And half of all survey-takers reported having experienced a hostile work environment, defined in the survey as “conditions created by the gendered conduct of a boss, co-workers or others that unreasonably interfere with work performance or are intimidating or offensive.”

Thirty-nine percent said the hostile environment “affected [them] deeply,” but only 9 percent of owners said they’ve received complaints along those lines.

The survey also showed that in smaller companies (15 fewer employees or fewer), a significant percentage of employees and owners either don’t know what the company’s written policies are pertaining to discrimination, sexual harassment and gender equality, or, they reported, the company doesn’t have any.

A total of 52 percent of survey-takers who work for or own a company that has between one and five employees say they don’t know what the company’s gender-related policies are. And 44 percent of owners and 35 percent of employees in this group said their company doesn’t have a written policy.

Survey-takers who work for larger companies seem to have a better grasp on written policies involving harassment and discrimination, the survey shows.

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