Facebook’s (NASDAQ:FB) Sheryl Sandberg believes that there should be a change in policies in order to support women’s fairer pay.
The company’s chief operating officer told Radio 4 program Desert Island Discs that women underestimate their worth but must demand equal pay.
“We start telling little girls not to lead at a really young age and we start to tell boys [to] lead at a very young age. That is a mistake.”
“I believe everyone has inside them the ability to lead and we should let people choose that not based on their gender but on who they are and who they want to be.”
Sandberg’s comments come after the publication of pay rates at the BBC highlighted the high contrast between male and female pay in many departments.
Sandberg told show host Kirsty Young that she herself experiences self-doubt whilst studying at Harvard and recognised women’s constant doubt of self-doubt.
“We need to start paying women well and we need the public and the corporate policy to get there,” she said.
“Certainly, women applying for jobs at the same rate as men, women running for office at the same rate as men, that has got to be part of the answer.”
“We start telling little girls not to lead at a really young age and we start to tell boys [to] lead at a very young age. That is a mistake. I believe everyone has inside them the ability to lead and we should let people choose that, not based on their gender, but on who they are and who they want to be.” she said.
Sandberg is worth an estimated $1.7 billion (£1.3 billion) but said there is much work to be done to end the gender pay gap.
Her comments appeared to reflect Sir Philip Hampton, from GlaxoSmithKline (LON:GSK), who has been given the role to work to remove barriers preventing women from rising to senior business posts.