Talent Talks: Understanding and overcoming the motherhood penalty

The motherhood penalty is a systemic issue that disproportionately affects women who have children, resulting in lower earnings, reduced career opportunities, and increased work-life challenges. However, the impact extends beyond mothers, affecting individuals with caregiving responsibilities and males who take on the primary role of childcare.

To address this complex issue, our panel of experts will discuss the root causes of the barriers faced by caregivers or those who want to take on more caregiving responsibilities, the impact on individuals and organisations, and most importantly, practical steps organisations can take to create a more supportive and inclusive environment for all employees.

This session will cover:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the motherhood penalty and its far-reaching consequences
• Learn how to create inclusive workplaces that support employees with caregiving responsibilities
• Discover actionable strategies to foster gender equality and break down biases

Register for free now

Joeli Brearley, Founder of Pregnant Then Screwed

Joeli Brearley is the founder of the charity, Pregnant Then Screwed, which she established in 2015 after her own experience of pregnancy discrimination. Vogue named Joeli as one of their top 25 most influential British women who are shaping 2021 and beyond. The New Statesman named her in their list of 50 most influential people shaping Britain’s progressive politics in 2023. She was listed as one of the top 10 communicators of 2023 by PR Week.

Her debut book: ''The Motherhood Penalty: How to Stop Motherhood Being the Kiss of Death for your Career’’ was published by Simon & Schuster on the 4th March 2021.

Stella Creasy, Labour and Co-Operative MP for Walthamstow, first elected in 2010

She has held a variety of positions within the Labour party, first as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the shadow Education Secretary Andy Burnham, and then in 2011 as a shadow Home Office Minister for crime prevention, in Ed Miliband’s first reshuffle. She ran for the deputy leadership of the party in 2015, coming second. She is currently Chair of Labour Movement for Europe and has campaigned for a continued relationship with the EU and against Brexit induced parliamentary deregulation.

She is an avid campaigner and contributor to debates. Most notably, in July 2019 she put forward the amendment which proposed that if the Northern Ireland Assembly was not restored by October that Westminster would legalise abortion in the country. Other campaigns include sexual harassment, childcare provision, and MotheRED – a campaign to financially support mums to be selected and elected as Labour Party candidates in the next General Election. She has also campaigned against ‘legal loan sharks’, introducing a Ten-Minute-Rule Bill to cap the cost of credit to avoid extortionate rates and force the Government to tighten restrictions.