AIR New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe was keynote speaker at last night's Mayoral Leadership Summit at the Hawke's Bay Opera House.
It was a timely presentation on leadership of one of our top companies by one of the country's top CEOs.
Mr Fyfe was the only CEO of a major New Zealand
corporate to take serious action in response to the controversial comments made by Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) head Alasdair Thompson.
Mr Thompson caused a public outcry after remarking that female workers took more sick leave because of their periods. He later apologised but his remarks were a bridge too far for Air New Zealand and Mr Fyfe withdrew the national airline's membership of the EMA.
To be fair, Air New Zealand had already been reviewing the costs and benefits of being an EMA member but Mr Thompson's blunder was the last straw.
Mr Fyfe wrote to his staff: "I have received a number of questions asking whether Air New Zealand is a member of the EMA following outrage at the CEO's public comments suggesting women are less productive and take more sick leave because of their monthly periods. Air New Zealand was a member of the EMA, we terminated our membership this week."
He told last night's forum that the issue for him was about equality of pay for women and men. Women should be paid the same as men and Mr Thompson did not seem to support that.
Leadership of a corporate is about far more than just driving profit. Staff and stakeholders expect strong leaders to make decisions which reflect community values.
Mr Fyfe did just that, banishing any suggestion that his company, at least, would be a part of any corporate club tainted by such sexist remarks.
Strong leaders also act ahead of the pack and Mr Fyfe did that as well, for yesterday, as the Air New Zealand boss prepared his notes to speak in Hawke's Bay, Mr Thompson was sacked by the EMA.
