Taking Action

The University recognises that identities are multifaceted, that inequalities are not restricted to separate characteristics and that some people experience multiple pay gaps. Narrowing pay gaps with the ambition of elimination is not quick or easy and requires meaningful, consistent and sustained changes in practice and cultural norms.  

Since 2022 the University identified three priorities to support the reduction of the pay gap, these were to increase:

• the number of women in senior grades
• the representation of colleagues from different ethnic groups across all grades and occupations, particularly Professional Support roles
• the number of employees who record whether or not they have a disability

Details of the progress on actions we have undertaken to advance EDI, many of which have a direct impact on reducing our pay gaps are outlined in our EDI report. 2024 has seen progress in all three priority areas (2% increase in women in the upper quartile, an increase of 268 BAME colleagues and an increase in declaration from employees about disability resulting in an additional 66 colleagues recording a disability) other factors have influenced the pay gaps and have made progress in reducing these slower than we would have hoped.

Making use of the additional analysis undertaken, alongside our continued areas of priority highlighted above, the following actions have been developed specifically for 2025.

• More regular reporting – using the extended dataset we have reviewed for this years report, our intention is to review this data on a 6 monthly basis, to allow us to monitor more closely against specific actions and make changes as required. From 2025 we will report on our pay gap data at an earlier stage, integrating this with our annual EDI report, published in December.
• Address Faculty / Service and grade level pay gaps – we will interrogate the pay gap data by Faculty / Service and grade to both learn from areas with smaller gaps and develop pay equity strategies to address barriers for women and other underrepresented groups where there are wide pay gaps.
• Focus on increasing disclosure, particularly around Disability – we will focus attention on increasing disclosure of EDI data by identifying areas where data is ‘not known’ and encouraging disclosure through the use of staff awareness campaigns and direct targeting.
• Review our leadership pathways provisions and support for the Academic Development Review process – to provide additional opportunities for women, ethnic minority staff and disabled staff to be supported with career progression guidance, mentoring and opportunities.
• Review of process for identifying and negotiating starting salaries – through the introduction of guidance and stronger controls.
• Increase representation of women and ethnic minority staff in Grades 8,9 and 10 – through a focused approach to the recruitment and selection process for all roles in these grades, making use of positive action steps where appropriate.

Further information and tracking of progress of these 2025 specific actions will be reported in the 2025 EDI report.

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