While industry leaders differ on how to fix the gender paygap, virtually all (96 percent) say the gap is real and must befixed. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Can the C-Suite alone fix the gender pay gap within theirorganization, or do they need governmental mandates to make thempay equitably?

The answer could depend on the leader's own gender, according toa Waterman Hurst survey of “gatekeepers” — CEOs, board members,other C-level leaders, as well as talent leaders, private equitypartners and executive search partners, all of whom belong to avirtual community set up by Waterman Hurst.

The majority of men leaders polled disagree with the majority ofwomen leaders: 73 percent of male gatekeepers say management aloneshould fix the gap, while 27 percent of those respondents believemanagement needs a push from government.

In contrast, 66 percent of female gatekeepers believe managementneeds a push from government and just 34 percent of top womenleaders say management alone should fix the gap.

Here are some comments from both genders about the issue:

– Bonnie Gwin, vice chairman and co-managing partner at Heidrick& Struggles: “I think great leaders understand that pay equityis a real concern and has a grave impact on a company. Leadersshould be held accountable for ensuring that the playing field islevel and that pay is equal. This is an important issue that shouldbe handled directly by top management to resolve swiftly.”

– Dave Winston, managing partner at Caldwell Partners: “Youcan't legislate judgment; this is a leadership issue. Period.”

– Byron Clendenen, vice president of human resources atSingulex: “While indeed, management SHOULD fix, that potentialmeans for resolution hasn't been uniformly achieved. While I'mgenerally not of a governmental interventionist mindset, I dobelieve that is the solution to this.”

– Donna Morea, SAIC chair and a SunTrust board member: “As anadvocate for the free market, I generally hate legislatedsolutions. But statistics are still so significantly skewed andprogress is uneven at best. I now believe a law may be the only wayto systematically make up the difference in pay between men andwomen. The disappointing reality is that constitutional support maybe the only way to ensure a system that is based on individualmerit and not on gender.”

Some of the respondents offered compromises. “It should besomething that shareholders and customers demand of the business,”writes an anonymous female gatekeeper.

Another gatekeeper, Nigel Hurst, executive vice president ofhuman resources at HEI Hotels and Resorts, writes that U.S.companies should “implement what has been widely accepted in theU.K., a less aggressive regulation that creates peer pressure.”

While the respondents differ on how to fix the gender pay gap,virtually all (96 percent) say the gap is real and must befixed.

“Every leader needs to be progressive and proactive and makesure that there is pay parity on their team,” writes Lonnie Shoff,president of Thermo Fisher Scientific. “We all need to fight bias.Once you get into a leadership position, you have the power to makea difference.”

Then Shoff adds: “Given we have been aware of the pay gap formore than 50 years and it still exists, it is clear that someleaders need a law or regulations to make pay equity apriority.”

Read more: 

• Gender pay gap stems from lack of access tohigh-paying jobs
• Here's how you can proactively address gender payinequity
• Employees welcome pay gap disclosures, as long asit doesn't affect them