PAY GAP REPORTING GROWING

One hundred New Zealand businesses are now committed to reporting their pay gaps.

Mindthegap launched a business registry just over a year ago for businesses to voluntarily report their pay gaps and campaign cofounder Dellwyn Stuart says a large increase in registrations demonstrates that pay gap reporting is seen as modern business practice.

“When we started the campaign in late 2021 we could only find about six organisations that were being transparent and reporting on their pay gaps. Now, a year after launching the Pay Gap Registry, we have 100 committed organisations,” she says in a statement.

Mindthegap focuses on employers with more than 50 staff, of which there are about 6,000 in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Stuart says she is delighted with the leadership shown by these organisations. “We know businesses don’t set out to have pay gaps, but when they do the analysis most discover they have them.”

She adds that with the current labour market, it is important for businesses to be seen to be transparent about their reporting.

“Attracting and keeping great employees is a key priority for business at present and being fair about pay is crucial. Employees are placing a high value on transparency and they want to know their organisation is being open and honest.”

Of the 100 businesses there is a broad range of sectors stepping up. Early reporters include the energy and financial sector. In the past year the organisation has seen infrastructure companies like

Fletcher Building, Aurecon and Beca reporting, and the first architectural firm Studio Pacific Architecture.

Shaun Philp, chief people officer, Chorus NZ says the biggest piece of advice for businesses is to start. “We’re all out there trying to solve the same problem. Get the data, because it’s the data that will make you take action.”

Stuart says those reporting on their Pacific and Māori pay gaps remain a small percentage of the overall group with 16 of the businesses on the registry reporting these gaps.