Lawrence, Kan. – Allen Press, Inc. announced today that it will only do business with vendors and suppliers who affirm they pay women and men equally for the same work. Those who do not meet this requirement will be phased out beginning in January 2019.

Everyone agrees it is wholly unacceptable to pay women less than men in the same or similar positions. Yet, many organizations refrain from taking the proactive measures necessary to close the gender pay gap, both internally as well as with the organizations they choose to conduct business with or support.

“Closing gender gaps with regard to pay and leadership positions is long overdue,” said Allen Press CEO, Randy Radosevich. “If organizations can’t honestly confirm they are providing the same wages and opportunities to women as men, then that is a major problem that needs to be immediately addressed. And even though there is talk about doing it, the gender pay gap will continue to persist until someone actually does something about it.”

Allen Press contacted its vendors this week and asked them to sign a form stating they have closed their pay gap and will continue to operate in that manner. Organizations have until December 15, 2018 to respond. Some have already begun to affirm. Pressroom chemistry and coating vendor Printers Service (Prisco), Dan Maffeo and Michael Main, were the first to return a form. Additionally, organizations new to working with Allen Press will be qualified in part on the basis that they have closed the gender pay gap.

In August 2018, Allen Press resigned its membership in the Printing Industries of America (PIA) as well as the regional PIA MidAmerica association due to their lack of commitment to gender inequality awareness within the printing industry. Currently, only two of 28 PIA Board members are women and PIA has repeatedly refused to acknowledge their own board’s extreme gender imbalance is a problem.

“Given that leaders of our industry such as newly appointed Xerox CEO & Vice Chairman, John Visentin (apparently in stark contrast to Ursula Burns who was unafraid to champion these issues when she led Xerox) and even the printing industry’s largest association remain silent and are unwilling to acknowledge that gender equality issues exist, Allen Press must be the catalyst for change,” added Radosevich. “We’ve always supported diversity and embrace the insurgent mindset and this is no different.”

Allen Press took these steps as part of its ongoing commitment to make the world a better place through social impact actions in the local community as well as the industry in which it operates.

For more information on Allen Press and its social impact initiatives, please visit: allenpress.com.