We have reduced the size of the pay bands as part of our 2019-20 and 2020-21 pay awards and will continue to monitor our gender pay data regularly. The median gender pay gap in December 2020 was 20.9 per cent and the pay bands are now between 8 per cent and 10 per cent wide.
Our 2019-20 pay award increased our occupational maternity, adoption and shared pay provision to a full six months in line with much of the civil service.
We have reviewed our recruitment processes – introducing some key changes to alleviate potential bias and to attract as diverse a range of qualified candidates as possible to our roles.
Initiatives include mandatory learning for panel members and equality data being reported at all stages of the recruitment and selection process (provided disclosure is not an issue). Advert copy is reviewed using a gender de-coding tool to make sure that our message is gender neutral.
We have provided key information and skills though our internal learning and development courses on equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as developing a broader EDI learning programme.
We have also reviewed and amended our appointments policy for both internal and external employees to ensure both are treated equally regarding salary level.
In addition, our specific gender pay targets within our EDI aims are:
- To ensure that two thirds of appointments to our two highest employee pay bands are women, over a three-year rolling period. This aim is on target to be achieved.
- To increase the number of men across the organisation by aiming to recruit men into approximately 55 per cent of our vacancies over a three-year rolling period.
