Pay discrimination is a big deal, and it continues to affect people of color, particularly women. While women account for almost half of the workforce, on average, they earn less than men. Research from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research indicates that, at the current pace, women won’t experience true pay equity until the year 2059. For women of color, the wait is even longer. Hispanic women will have to wait until 2233, and black women will wait until 2124.

Large corporations — with multiple employees in comparable roles and human resources departments able to focus on inclusion and fairness in the hiring process — clearly have a role to play in solving this problem. But don’t underestimate the potential impact of addressing this issue within small enterprises.

Most of the American workforce is employed by small businesses, as we can see from the data above. And for those of us eager to participate in the fight to change the way companies behave, it’s our job to make small changes that can make a big impact and have the potential to transform the way business operates.

Read the full article about closing the pay gap by Emily Lonigro at B the Change.