Wellcome’s pay gap data 2019
Today we have published our pay gap data, which is a snapshot of Wellcome on 5 April 2019.
In 2016, the government made it compulsory for UK-based organisations with over 250 employees to share their gender pay gap information.
This year we are also publishing our ethnicity pay gap data. This is not yet required by law. We’re doing so as part of a wider commitment across Wellcome to understand and share what we’re doing to continue our work to be an inclusive workplace.
Wellcome’s gender pay gap 2019
On 5 April 2019, Wellcome had a gender gap in median pay of 17.3%. This is slightly smaller than the UK average, which the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported as 17.9% in 2018.
Although our gender pay gap has narrowed by 3.5% since 2017, most of that improvement happened the previous year – the 2019 figure is only 0.1% lower than in 2018.
We know that we have much more progress to make. But rather than short-term fixes, we are making fundamental and sustainable changes to make Wellcome a more diverse and inclusive employer over time.
Wellcome’s ethnicity pay gap 2019
On 5 April 2019, Wellcome had an ethnicity gap in median pay of 0.4%.
This is the first time we have reported our ethnicity pay gap data. Although the headline figure of 0.4% is encouraging, it does not give the whole picture:
- we know from other evidence that the experience of BAME and non-BAME people at Wellcome can be very different
- the breadth of the BAME category can be helpful, but in this context may mask important differences between specific minority ethnic groups
- interpretation of this year’s ethnicity pay gap data has to be tentative because as of April 2019 we had not received ethnicity data from a third of Wellcome employees.
Combined with other data we have collected, our ethnicity pay gap confirms we have more to do to support the recruitment, retention and progress of BAME colleagues, especially at senior levels, and we need to work harder to remove barriers to success.
Actions we’re taking to reduce our pay gaps
It is clear from this year’s data that we need to do more within Wellcome to recruit more women and people from black and minority ethnic groups at the most senior levels, and to better support career progression.
Our pay gap action plan, launched in January 2018, includes:
- prioritising diversity and inclusion data
- changing recruitment processes
- offering unconscious bias training to all staff
- piloting a reverse diverse mentoring scheme for senior staff
- signing up to the Race at Work Charter
- launching a new flexible working policy.
We will continue to develop this plan, and to be open and honest about our progress, challenges and failings. Our actions will be guided by evidence, what we learn along the way and the experiences of everyone at Wellcome.