A zero gender pay gap is the goal. But what happens next?

What happens if we ever get to a zero gender pay gap? If we do hit that milestone, can we declare victory?

The answer is: not really. Reaching anywhere near zero will be a feat, but not the be-all and end-all. While a bellwether of how we value women’s economic and corporate contributions, eradicating this discrimination will not mean instant equality. More hard work is needed not only to achieve pay equality, but create workplaces where women have equal opportunities.

Yes, we are a long way off parity. But it is worth kick-starting the discussion. Especially when more countries are beginning to push for ambitious targets. Canada, France and Spain are among nations that require in-depth analysis of gendered wage information, and more than half of countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) now mandate that private sector companies report their pay gap.