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Gender, Ethnicity and Disability pay gap report published

30 Mar 2022

Our Gender, Ethnicity and Disability pay gap report for 2021 is now available

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Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce that we have published our fifth annual Gender Pay Gap report (GPG) which measures differences between the average (mean and median) earnings of men and women who work at our University. 

This year the report also contains the outcomes of the University’s Ethnicity Pay Gap (EPG) analysis, and for the first time, Disability Pay Gap (DPG) analysis. These analyses are not currently required by law but are an important component of our commitment to progress equality, diversity and inclusion.

Pay gaps

  • Gender - The mean and median GPGs at the University have both reduced since 2020 and are now at the lowest since reporting commenced in 2017 at 15.6% and 11.1% respectively. 
  • Ethnicity - Both EPGs have narrowed since 2020 to 13.3% (mean) and 9.9% (median). 
  • Disability - In our first year of reporting, the DPG outcomes are 15.1% (mean) and 13.1% (median)

The main factor contributing to our mean and median pay gaps is the under-representation of women, BAME and disabled staff in higher paid jobs and functions (occupational segregation), and not as a result of men and women; White and BAME; non-disabled and disabled staff being paid differently for work of equal value.

This is reinforced by the outcomes of the University’s 2019 Equal Pay Audit which reveals that there are no significant pay gaps (i.e. 5% or more) by gender, ethnicity or disability for staff paid within each of grades 1 – 8 on our University’s pay scale.

We benchmark our GPG with other UK universities and the 2020 data shows that our University has one of the narrowest GPGs amongst the research-intensive Russell Group universities – our mean gap is one of the narrowest (fifth lowest) and median gap is in the eighth narrowest amongst 20 Russell Group universities.

Bonus pay gaps

  • Gender - The mean bonus pay gap reported for 2021 has widened to 59.7% from 50.8% in 2020. The median has narrowed to 19.3% from 51.6%. The median value is the smallest bonus pay gap since the introduction of the mandatory pay gap reporting. 
  • Ethnicity - Both bonus gaps remain in favour of BAME staff. The values of both EPGs have also reduced compared with 2020: the mean has narrowed to -30.5% (from -44.6%) and the median to -18.9% (from -328.5%). 
  • Disability - The reported bonus gaps in relation to disability are 60.5% (mean) and 27% (median). 

The bonus pay gaps are largely due to the payment of Clinical Excellence Awards (CEAs). We are committed to working with partner NHS Trusts to determine what further actions the University can take to ensure all our eligible staff are actively supported and encouraged to apply for CEAs. 

Action

Measures put in place to reduce the pay gap take time to have an impact. The actions we developed in response to the 2020 report in relation to gender and ethnicity, will not have had a full effect at the time of the 2021 census date. We continue to monitor progress and adjust our actions designed to eradicate the pay gaps.

As part of this concerted effort, several initiatives have been put in place and others are planned. These include: 

  • Re-establishing the GPG Task Group which will be tasked with understanding the data and the drivers and make recommendations for action planning;
  • Undertaking the inclusive recruitment review;
  • Establishing links between the GPG, EPG, DPG and the respective Charter Mark Self-Assessment Team action planning; 
  • Organising facilitated Gender, Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap Awareness sessions with Staff Diversity Network groups; 
  • Development of targeted career development programmes.

We recognise that our pace of change in eradicating the pay gaps is not as fast enough. The University is committed to developing actions that will accelerate the closing of these gaps and achieving equity for all. 

Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility

Banji Adewumi, Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Adèle MacKinlay, Director of People and Organisational Development