Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Report 2021

As an organisation committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, we are working to reduce our pay gaps year on year. We have a public duty to report our gender pay gap to the Government Equalities Office and to do so, we compare the pay of our male and female employees and the distribution of gender by pay quartile. Bonus payments are included in the report, as a percentage of staff receiving bonuses by gender, and the gender gap on these bonuses. However, within this reporting period, the University has made no bonus payments.

A slight increase in our gender pay gap is noted this year. Our mean gender pay gap is 11.2%, (an increase of almost one percentage point) and the median pay gap has risen by five percentage points to 17.8%. We have taken time to understand why we have seen an increase. We recognise that the pandemic reduced the need for temporary roles and increased the number of absences related to sickness, both of which have contributed to our gender pay gap. Although our figures remain lower than the national average of 15.4% (ONS, 2021), we are not complacent. Efforts to support female career progression through the Aurora Leadership programme and the Athena Swan Charter ensure that gender equity remains a high priority for the University.

This year’s report also includes our ethnicity pay gap data, noting a high disclosure rate of 99% for our ethnicity data. As there is no current public duty to report our ethnicity pay gap, we use the same methodology as the gender pay gap to calculate the ethnicity pay gap. In this report, the ethnicity pay gap is defined as the difference between the average pay of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) and non-BAME staff.

Our data shows that there is no ethnicity pay gap at the University. Since the last report, the mean ethnicity pay gap has reduced by one percentage point to -4.1%, with the minus figure contributing to the shrinking gap. Our work as members of the Race Equality Charter ensures the priorities that we attach to race equity at the University.

Pay gap reporting is an important step towards addressing imbalances within the workplace. As an organisation, we are working together to continue to close all gaps and we continue to look for opportunities to increase our focus and attention.

Professor Kathryn Mitchell

Definition

The aim of gender pay gap reporting is to help organisations understand if they have a gender pay gap and the reasons for that gap, provide transparency and help identify any actions to help close the gender pay gap in future.

To ensure that we are compliant with the statutory data requirements, the report uses several metrics:

• The mean (average) hourly gender pay gap (%) of all full-pay relevant employees
• The median (midpoint) hourly gender pay gap (%) of all full-pay relevant employees
• The mean gender bonus pay gap (%) of all full-pay relevant employees
• The median gender bonus gap (%) of all full-pay relevant employees
• The proportion (%) of men and women who receive bonus pay
• The proportion (%) of men and women on four equal population quartiles according to pay bands
  

It is important to understand that there is a difference between the gender pay gap and the issue of equal pay.

Equal pay means that men and women in the same employment performing equal work must receive equal pay (Equal Pay Act 1970).

Gender Pay Gap identifies the difference between the average earnings of men and women across the organisation or labour market.

How we're working to close the gap

The University welcomes and supports gender pay gap reporting and is committed to reducing the gap year on year.

• There is a negotiated pay and grading structure across the majority of staff cohorts
• We undertake robust job evaluation processes, which underpin pay, and grades and reinforces equal pay
• We recognise that staff require time to develop expertise
• Use the gender decoder and anonymous shortlisting within the recruitment process
• We ensure reviews of pay and reward include consideration of bonus payments
• Achievement of the Athena Swan Chartermark Bronze Award
• Membership in the Race Equality Charter

We undertake a number of initiatives that support equality, diversity and inclusion and positively impact the gender pay gap.

They include:

• Actively encourage women and staff of colour to seek promotion opportunities through the professorial routes: Associate Professor and Professor
• Centrally fund places for female staff to attend the women in leadership programme, Aurora
• Centrally fund places for minority ethnic staff to attend the Advance HE Diversifying Leadership programme
• Retain female experience in the workplace by offering Menopause Seminars and Cafes to support those experiencing menopause and raise awareness in those managing others going through this life event
• Actively celebrate female role models and allies
• Enable governance and oversight of all Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work and ensure reports are available for staff access
• Consult with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion staff network to embed good practice
• Provide a varied and vibrant blended approach to staff development, including mentoring and coaching
• Implement actions in the Action Plan for the Athena Swan Chartermark, working towards a silver award
• Membership of the Race Equality Chartermark, working towards a bronze award