Prague, 26th of March 2026
The 17th international Equal Pay Day conference completed its first day. The subtitle of the conference part was FUTURE; there were discussed topics such as AI, its impact on the structure and operations of the companies; Generation Z’s entry into the labor market and the different needs of individual generations; implementation of the European directive about pay transparency into Czech legislation; nontheless, the current mood in the society. Companies‘ representatives and expert organizations have agreed that transparency and fair conditions are a pillar for companies‘ resilience in maintaining the competitive spirit and attracting a new talent.
“A fair and responsible future for companies and society does not form by itself. It arises where there is a willingness to open up debate, seek consensus even outside one’s own bubble, and think about the impact of technologies, emerging generations, trends and challenges in advance. The Equal Pay Day conference proves that when women and men, business leaders, expert organizations, political representatives, as well as entrepreneurs meet in one place, a vision of the future emerges that is resilient, fair and competitive. This is exactly the kind of future we want to create together in Czech Republic,” summarizes Eva Primus Kovandová, president of Business & Professional Women CR (BPWCR), the organization organising the conference.
Attendance on the first day reached 766 visitors. Delegations from 18 countries around the world arrived, 35 speakers and one virtual guest appeared on stage. The conference will continue on Friday, March 27, the so-called Empower Day, a day of personal development including speed mentoring, coaching, workshops and networking. The number of registrations for both days reached a total of 1,852. The two-day event is organized by the non-profitable organization Business & Professional Women CR (BPWCR), which has been dedicated to the topic of fair remuneration and equal opportunities since 2010. More info www.epdcz.com.
According to Eurostat data, the most recent annual average gender pay gap in the Czech Republic reached 18.5%, to the detriment of women. Moreover, it increased by 0.6 percentage points year-on-year. The symbolic day until which women work for free in the calendar year, before catching up to the average men’s wage, occurred this year on March 8. In other words, if women hypothetically start ‘catching up’ with men’s lead from January 1, they have to work little more than two months longer.
Eva Bučová, CEO of ING Bank in the Czech Republic, spoke during the first day of the Equal Pay Day conference. In her contribution, she mentioned that we are going through a lot of changes at the global, regional, local, and personal levels, and that only diverse teams can manage this transformation. Fabio Costa, CEO of Philip Morris Czech Republic, stated that Generation Z, which makes up 14% of Philip Morris’s workforce, requires transparency. They are used to consuming information, having it at their fingertips and expect it to be openly shared by their employer as well. Data, numbers, and charts were also presented by Jana Boštíková, senior partner responsible for HR & Payroll and ESG services at Forvis Mazars in the Czech Republic, who, among other things, clarified what the cleaned and uncleaned gender pay gap is and why we need to monitor both.
“We have talked the Czech Republic around on the topic of equal pay. We are now striving for a systemic change, which, however, is not an isolated island and will not happen overnight. It requires vision, cooperation, and space for dialogue. The Equal Pay Day conference annually brings together important stakeholders from the business environment, public administration, expert organizations, and political representation in one place. Important alliances, collaborations or projects such as Women Who Drive Business are created,” describes Helena Dreiseitlová, Country Lead Equal Pay Day Czechia.
The cycle of four discussion meetings titled Women Who Move Business, which was launched by the Prague 1 Chamber of Commerce with the support of BPWCR, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and Minister Karel Havlíček, will continue precisely on Equal Pay Day. The panel subtitled Women and Innovation on Friday, March 27, will focus on how digital tools and technological progress open up new opportunities for women in terms of employment, professional growth, and leadership in fields that were until recently predominantly male domains. Special attention will be given to how women can develop their businesses, increase efficiency, flexibility, and competitiveness through technology and how they can serve as inspiration for future generations. One of the panelists will also be 1st Vice-Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček.
Equal Pay Day will continue with a year-round media campaign for equal opportunities and fair pay, the ninth edition of the educational project Empowering Women Mentoring, support and development of the United Nations international project Women’s Empowerment Principles, of which BPWCR is the ambassador organization for the Czech Republic, or a series of educational webinars for young adults called DigiSkill. More atwww.bpwcz.com.
