It is no secret that in the UK the odds are still stacked against women when it comes to equal opportunity in the work place. Only 22% of senior leadership roles are held by women and the government’s 2017 regulation requiring companies with more than 250 employees to submit their gender pay gap data revealed an even bigger disparity. Almost 80% of companies still pay men more than women and the mean national average gender pay gap currently stands at 17.4%.
Several factors have contributed to these figures, from gender biases to inflexible working and since the release of the complete gender pay gap data in April 2018, numerous companies have been more transparent about the steps they are taking to close the gap in pay, opportunity and benefits.
Taking into consideration the gender pay gap (the definition of this being the average pay of all men and women in the company, regardless of role), pay structures, career advancement, leadership, maternity and childcare policy, these are some of the most inclusive companies with a UK presence for women to work for right now.
Sky
In April 2018 Sky reported a mean gender pay gap of 11.5% and a bonus gap of 40%. The UK CEO, Stephen van Rooyen, said at the time that it was the lack of women in “senior, digital and technology roles…” that was “driving [their] current gender pay gap” rather than women receiving lower salaries for the same roles as men.
Through its Women in Leadership program, Sky has committed to engage 50% of women in leadership roles by 2020 and every position that emerges will need an equally split short list. The broadcasting giant is seemingly on the right track – in 2016 alone it increased the number from 31% to 39%. There are also similar programs for Women in Technology and Home Service that aim to improve opportunities for women.
The Women@Sky network runs a mentorship scheme, allowing experienced females to inspire and nurture the careers of their juniors. There’s also a network for parents, helping them achieve a better work/ life balance.
The company doesn’t just stop at gender equality though. Its employee networks tag line reads, “if you aren’t actively including people, you’re probably accidentally excluding people” so there are also extensive networks for LGBT+ employees, ethnic and cultural diversity as well as differently abled people.
Find out more here.
Unilever
Consumer goods company Unilever UK was one of the only organisations to report near pay parity in 2017. The mean pay gap is 1.9% but the median stands at -2.2% and 50.7% of its management positions in the UK are held by women.
Thanks to its shared parental and maternity leave policies, gender balanced outreach to STEM graduates and trainees and networks for women, female employees are being given better opportunities to progress and develop. Other support offered includes paid time off for fertility procedures and bereavement and back up childcare for when parents’ regular support isn’t available.
Sebastian Munden, the EVP and General Manager of Unilever UK and Ireland said that he was “proud” of the company’s record on gender diversity but realised “there is more to do.”
Find out more here.
Vodafone
One of the world’s largest networking companies, Vodafone reported a 2017 mean pay gap of 16.9% but the Group HR Director, Ronald Schellekens, has stated that by 2025 the company aims to be “considered the world’s best employer for women.”
How are they planning to achieve this?
Well, for starters, its maternity policy is widely considered to be one of the best in the UK. New mothers are offered 16 weeks’ maternity leave on full pay (well above the statutory six weeks at 90% pay). Upon their return, they will only have to work 30 hours a week to gain full pay also.
The company also aims to increase the amount of women in management to 30% by 2020 and is committed to an even 50/50 gender split of global graduate hires. Managers are also trained in debunking unconscious bias and there is a series of supportive networks that help women working in different areas such as commercial, enterprise and technology.
Find out more here.
Accenture
Accenture reported a mean gender pay gap of 16.7% but is working towards 25% female managing directors by 2020 and a gender balanced workforce by 2025. Its global workforce of women currently stands at around 41%. Through its Employee Resource Groups, female employees have greater access to supportive networks and every manager is encouraged to attend training on inclusive and non-biased leadership. CEO for North America, Julie Sweet, cites the general boost in health that a company sees when its female employees are valued: “research shows that in companies with cultures that include the workplace factors that help women advance, men thrive too and we all rise together.”
A nine month full maternity pay program and several flexible working options including flexi- hours, part time and job sharing have also made Accenture particularly inclusive of working mothers.
Find out more here.
Marks and Spencer
Retail giant M&S paints a similar picture to Sky with a mean pay gap of 12.3% and a mean bonus gap of 53.4%, exposing its current gender imbalance in leadership roles.[7] As part of its Plan A 2025, the company upholds its mentoring system and 1:1 coaching for mid-senior women to allow them better opportunities to progress into senior roles.
Expectant and prospective parents are given paid time off to attend IVF treatments, attend fostering and adoptive meetings and prenatal appointments. They’re also committed to flexible working hours, too, allowing parents to opt for term time only and part time schedules.
Find out more here.
