UK launches Ethnicity Pay Gap Day on 8th January 2021

The UK’s founder of the #EthnicityPayGap campaign has announced the launch of Ethnicity Pay Gap Day on 8th January 2021.

The day will support the efforts of the #EthnicityPayGap campaign and raise awareness around the issue, confirmed campaign Founder and Director of Equilibrium Mediation Consulting, Dianne Greyson. According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), most minority ethnic groups continue to earn less than their White colleagues. ONS’ latest statistics reveal that there is 23.8% ethnicity pay gap in London, 12.7% in Yorkshire & Humberside and 10.3% in Scotland, as reported. 

“Surprisingly many people don’t realise there is a gap, nor how big it actually is,” pointed out Greyson. However, she hopes Ethnicity Pay Gap Day will change that. “It’s a day not only to raise awareness about the issue nationally, but also for people and organisations to come together in solidarity to urge the government to make Ethnicity Pay Gap Reporting mandatory,” she added.

ENCOURAGING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS

Greyson hopes the day also will encourage organisations to have those difficult, but desperately-needed conversations with staff about existing pay gaps. “Companies need to explore their ethnicity pay gaps and why they exist. They also need to engage Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff on how to address those gaps,” she added. 

These conversations will help companies to get their staff on board to kick start the process of collating ethnicity pay gap data, required for ethnicity pay gap reporting, much in the same way as the gender pay gap. Greyson is urging employers to start work on closing the gaps, and not to wait for mandatory legislation.

MANDATORY PAY GAP REPORTING

As the founder of the #EthnicityPayGap campaign, Greyson has campaigned long and hard for the Government to make ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory. She established the campaign back in 2018, and has been campaigning ever since to get the issue addressed. Greyson believes tough action against discriminatory employers and a comprehensive plan to address the structural causes of unequal treatment in society are now a must. Last week, the UK Government finally confirmed plans to debate Ethnicity Pay Gap reporting, after 100,000+ individuals signed a petition back in June 2020. But no date has yet been set.

“Support from the business community, as well as the Government, is vital to make an impact on this agenda,” stressed Greyson. She recommends that businesses “firstly start having those difficult conversations to find out exactly where the gaps are. Then ensure that plans to capture and report ethnicity pay gap data are properly embedded in your company’s strategy, and not just a tick box exercise”. Greyson also advises companies to hire consultants/advisors that can “walk their own talk”, with “tried and tested solutions” from experts, such as Synergised Solutions.

TIME FOR CHANGE 

As a precursor to Ethnicity Pay Gap Day, Greyson has organised a webinar on Thursday 7th January (6.30-8pm GMT). The webinar will explore how to capture and report ethnicity pay gap data. Leading panellists and speakers include Sarah Churchman, Chief Inclusion Community & Wellbeing Officer, PwC; Emma Palmer, Head of Revenue of Chiltern Railways; and Siobhan Corria, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Versus Arthritis. Click here for more information.