Germany has a gender pay gap of 21% - but few realise this, or observe the annual Equal Pay Day on March 18th. BVG created the world’s first women’s transport ticket to highlight the gender pay gap. The BVG Frauenticket (Women's Ticket) allowed women to travel for 21% less on Equal Pay Day and sparked an extensive discussion in Germany. The action brought the gender pay gap issue into every German news broadcast on Equal Pay Day. The Women's Ticket story was picked up globally, and so was BVG's strict corporate policy of equal pay for equal work.

The German Federal Bureau of Statistics reports that Germany has a gender pay gap of 21% - the second largest in Europe. Few people observe the annual Equal Pay Day and awareness of the 21% pay gap is low. Equal Pay Day has been around since 1988 but has always achieved very low visibility because it falls just after Women's Day. Traditionally, Equal Pay Day receives very little attention and media coverage.

BVG stands firmly for equality - so the company wanted to use its media power and influence to raise awareness around Equal Pay Day and to highlight to the 21% gender pay gap. BVG wanted to use March 18th to speak out against inequality and stand up for women's rights - drawing attention to its strict corporate policy of equal pay for equal work.

Berlin Transport Authority "BVG" created the world’s first women's public transport ticket to highlight the gender pay gap in Germany. The Frauenticket (Women's Ticket) was available on Equal Pay Day and allowed women to travel for 21% less. Women's Tickets were available from over 600 ticket machines across Berlin and BVG installed a special Women's Tickets Machine in the city centre. The modified machine used gender recognition technology to identify women and offer a full range of 21% discounted tickets with savings up to 160 euros. The installation became the location for BVG’s official press conference and the Women's Tickets Machine became an iconic image at the centre of the discussion around equal pay. But paying 21% less won’t solve the problem - earning 21% more will. BVG concluded with a recruitment drive encouraging women to apply for a career at BVG with guaranteed equal pay for equal work.

BVG wanted Germany to know that it is a brand that stands for equality - and appear more attractive to women as a potential employer. BVG sought to achieve this by addressing a sensitive and vital issue affecting German women and German households - the 21% gender pay gap. The Women's Ticket was used as a platform to show the inequality in Germany and make the pay gap tangible by giving a group of people a distinct financial advantage based on their gender. BVG aimed to stand up for women's rights and drive awareness around this inequality - by creating discussion and debate in the media - and then provide the ultimate solution to the problem: equal pay for equal work. By announcing its strict equal pay policies, BVG would stand as an example to other business to address imbalances and close the gender pay gap once and for all.

In the week before Equal Pay Day BVG announced the Women's Ticket and the 21% discount for women on March 18th. The launch communication reached commuters across Berlin transit network using posters, billboards, platform signage, and digital screens inside busses, trams, and trains. This was supplemented by a Press Release, Radio spot, Website and Paid Social Ads. On March 18th BVG brought the Women's Ticket to 600+ Ticketing machines across Berlin and unveiled a specially modified 'Women's Ticket Machine' inside Berlin's busiest subway station. The machine used gender recognition technology to identify women and offer a full range of 21% discounted tickets - including yearly tickets with savings of 160 Euros. The Women's Ticket payment receipt carried a targeted message: "Instead of paying 21% less - Earn 21% more". - encouraging Berlin women to apply for a career at BVG with guaranteed equal pay at careers.bvg.de

The BVG Women's Ticket story brought Equal Pay Day onto the evening news of every German broadcaster on March 18th. The initiative sparked a discussion on gender equality and equal pay all over the world.

- Over 1,500 articles and reports

- Featured in 66 TV news broadcasts in Europe

6.7 billion media contacts

107 equivalent million media value

Ticket sales increased by 3,600%

- March 18th search queries for 'Equal Pay' on Google.de increased by 1,900% compared to previous years on Equal Pay Day.

(source: Google Trends, BVG, media tracking by Argus Data Insights)