Gender pay gap widens at the top
The gender pay gap between male and female directors has widened over the past year, according to a new report from the Institute of Directors (IoD) today.
This was balanced by more favourable statistics from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), which reveal the overall pay gap between the sexes has narrowed to its lowest level since records began in 1997.
Last Tuesday, the Fawcett Society and Unison hosted a joint campaign day to raise awareness of the issue. They published a poll revealing 70 per cent of voters would actively give their support to any politician who attempted to address the pay gap problem.
The ONS figures today will come as some good news to these organisations, as they reveal the gap between women’s median hourly pay and men’s has declined over the last year from 12.8 per cent to 12.6.
But on average, men are still receiving £1.50 extra an hour, according to the statistics.
The separate IoD survey – which specifically analysed wage patterns among directors – found the pay gap at the top of the field to be 22 per cent.
Commenting on the survey, Miles Templeman of the IoD said: “It is extremely disappointing that this year the survey shows that the gender pay gap is 22 per cent.
“It is even more surprising that the pay gap has actually increased from 19 per cent last year and in some sectors it as high as 26 per cent – we would really like to know why this remains such an insoluble problem?
“It is wholly unacceptable in this day and age that it appears that women in comparable positions do not receive the same rewards as their male counterparts.”
The Liberal Democrats called for radical action, including more pay audits, to tackle the divide at this senior level.
Lib Dem equality spokesperson Jo Swinson said: “For the past decade the government has failed to grasp the nettle on equal pay. The timid action taken means the pay gap still persists from the shop floor all the way to the boardroom.”
