The UK’s leading charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights, The Fawcett Society, together with leading equality campaigners and business groups, are urging the Government to reinstate gender pay gap reporting this year.
Together they have issued a joint statement demanding the urgent reinstatement of gender pay gap reporting. The statement calls on the Government to reinstate enforcement; and require all large firms to provide their gender pay gap data to ensure the pandemic does not turn back the clock on women and work.
The joint statement points out that gender pay gap reporting was a “hard-won achievement”; and “now is not the time to roll back on it”. “Now, more than ever, we need the data this reporting gives us to truly understand the impact of the pandemic on women and to address persistent gender pay inequalities,” reads the statement.
“In 2020, the enforcement of gender pay gap reporting for large employers was suspended due to a concern of the impact of reporting on employers. What we’ve seen since then is the pandemic policy response disproportionately impacting women, particularly at work,” explained Felicia Willow, Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society. “We know more women have been furloughed, have lost their jobs, have had their hours cut, and have had greater disruption due to home schooling than men. And, we know that the impact on disabled women, Black women and other minority groups has been even worse.”
SIGNIFICANTLY WORSENING INEQUALITY
Gender pay gap reporting is one way that employers can identify issues that need action. “A year ago, we didn’t know what we faced. Now, we know that we face significantly worsening inequality that may take decades to redress. There is no reasonable argument supporting the claim that gender pay gap reporting should remain unenforced in 2021,” Willow added. “Our statement brings together major organisations from across the equalities sector as well as representing employers to call for the UK Government to urgently reinstate enforcement for gender pay gap reporting in 2021.”
The Fawcett Society is also encouraging supporters to write to their MP and ask them to support reinstating mandatory gender pay gap reporting among large employers; and sign a UK Government and Parliament petition calling on the Government to reinstate gender pay gap reporting.
JOINT STATEMENT SIGNATORIES
Leading equalities charities, campaigners and business groups have signed the joint statement. They include:
- Felicia Willow, CEO, The Fawcett Society
- Ali Harris, Chief Executive, Equally Yours
- Anna Ritchie Allan, Executive Director, Close the Gap
- Ann Francke OBE CMgr CCMI FIC, Chief Executive Officer, Chartered Management Institute
- Centenary Action Group
- Cerys Furlong, Chief Executive, Chwaere Teg
- Dame Moya Greene DBE
- Frances O’Grady, TUC
- Jackie Stevenson, President, Women in Advertising and Communication Leadership
- Wanda Wyporska Exec Director, Equalities Trust
- Working Families
GENDER PAY GAP REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Gender pay gap reporting is a UK legal requirement for organisations with over 250 employers. The gender pay gap is the difference between the average (mean or median) earnings of men and women across a workforce. The requirement to publish gender pay gap ensures there is transparency on the gender pay gap within businesses; and encourages employers to consider and take action on their gender pay gap.
However, last year the Government suspended gender pay gap reporting due to the coronavirus pandemic. But over the last few weeks, there have been many calls to reinstate it.
Just last week, the UK Government was urged to clarify whether businesses are required to submit their gender pay gap reports this year, after conflicting news over the last few days and weeks. Click here to read more.
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