In this episode, host Scott Allen sits down with Dr. Rita Gardiner (Western University) and Dr. Hayley Baker (Western University) to explore the concept of “genderwashing” – the organizational myth of gender equality where institutions promote gender-equitable rhetoric while failing to deliver on those promises in practice. Drawing parallels to greenwashing, the guests explain how genderwashing creates a disconnect between organizational policies and the lived experiences of employees, particularly affecting women and marginalized groups across various sectors ranging from higher education to sports organizations.

The conversation delves into their collaborative research spanning six countries and multiple disciplines, revealing how this phenomenon manifests globally through superficial policies that lack authentic implementation. Baker emphasizes that “policy doesn’t do the work, people do,” while Gardiner highlights the importance of moving beyond words to meaningful action – echoing the suffragettes’ rallying cry of “deeds, not words.” Their work, published in Genderwashing in Leadership: Power, Policies, and Politics, is part of the ILA series, published by Emerald, on Transformative Women Leaders.