WOMEN were scandalously under-represented and under-paid at senior levels in industry despite accounting for half of the country's graduates, Kamlesh Bahl, chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission, told the conference.
She said: "The reality is that women currently make up 47pc of the workforce but are still paid 79pc of average male earnings."
Ms Bahl complained that only 3pc of directors were women but denied that she was involved in a battle of the sexes. She added: "At the Equal Opportunities Commission we will work just as hard for a man who wants to be a nanny as for a woman who wants to be a mechanic."
Ms Bahl urged delegates: "The commitment to equality must come from the very top of the organisation. Let your board know what is happening. Make it something to be proud of."
She pointed to successes in compensation cases to illustrate arguments that the equal opportunities tide was beginning to turn. Since the £11,000 ceiling on awards in discrimination cases was removed last year, there has been a seven-fold increase in pay-outs.
Ms Bahl said: "No doubt you have your own views about these developments but it would be foolish to ignore them. Other types of case-sexual harassment, for example-may attract even higher awards.
"Awards for injury to feelings are sure to rise. Compensation for loss of earnings can be very high in the case of a well-paid former employee who has difficulty finding a new job."
Landmark rulings giving part-time workers the same rights as full-time employees for unfair dismissal and redundancy and the European Court of Justice ruling on equal access for part-timers for occupational pension schemes were also pointers to the change, she said.
Ms Bahl added: "Again, whatever you think of these rulings you need to be aware of them, especially given the projected increase in part-time work. The time has certainly come to give all part-time employees equal treatment with their full-time colleagues."
Collective bargaining arrangements were no excuse for discrimination. "If there is a pay gap between men and women it can only be justified by objective reasons unrelated to sex. Structures and agreements built up around past discrimination are now against the law."
There should be no discrimination against pregnant women. Only 1pc of women are pregnant and "it's not a risk that should worry a well-run company", said Ms Bahl.
