New drive to end the gender pay gap
30 October 2017
The Prime Minister has announced a new drive to improve workplace equality – calling on more companies to report their gender pay gap and take action to close it.
New figures published this week by the ONS show the UK’s overall gender pay gap rising marginally to 18.4%, but the gap for full-time workers falling to a record low – from 9.4% in 2016 to 9.1% in 2017.
To close the gender pay gap further, the Prime Minister is calling on companies to:
- Improve the pipeline to ensure progress on female representation at senior levels, including supporting women to progress to middle management and offering return to work schemes
- Publish their gender pay gap data, including companies with fewer than 250 employees
- Make flexible working a reality for all employees by advertising all jobs as flexible from Day 1, unless there are solid business reasons not to
As part of the commitment to drive forward workplace equality, the Women’s Business Council which the Prime Minister established as home secretary in 2012, will be advising her on progress and good practice in business. The council will also be providing recommendations in key areas including middle management, flexible working, working parents and return-to-work schemes.
The Prime Minister is now calling on more employers to follow their lead, including encouraging businesses with fewer than 250 employees to voluntarily publish their pay gap too.