Equal pay audit

5 September 2011

The University has published its first equal pay audit with results showing that Cardiff has few significant gender pay gaps.

Data has been analysed from the Human Resources and payroll management information systems to provide an overview of pay across the University and the audit was carried out by an external consultant who is an expert in the field of equal pay.

The purpose of an equal pay audit is to:

• Establish whether there are pay inequities arising because of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion of belief, and age; and/or from differing contractual arrangements
• Analyse in more detail the nature of any inequities
• Analyse the factors creating inequities and diagnose the cause of causes
• Determine what action is required to deal with any unjustified inequities revealed by analysis and diagnosis

This first equal pay audit focussed upon pay inequities arising from gender and confirmed that Cardiff University has few significant gender pay gaps. Where pay gaps do exist they arise from the clustering of males or females at the top of pay grades rather than any systematic gender pay discrimination. The audit does show that the gender distribution of staff across the grades varies greatly.

Cardiff University pay scales are generally discrete with a limited number of incremental points which complies with recommended good practice in relation to both gender and age discrimination. This contributes to the absence of significant gender grade pay gaps at Cardiff University.

Professor Terry Threadgold

Professor Terry Threadgold, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Staff and Diversity said: “Cardiff is committed to supporting and developing staff through the provision of facilities, and access to personal and career development opportunities, and employment on an equal basis regardless of gender.  A number of initiatives to support women in the workplace are already in place including the Women’s Universities Mentoring Scheme - an initiative that aims to promote and facilitate professional development for women working in Welsh universities by setting up inter-university mentoring partnerships, our confidence building work with women in the SET disciplines, our Athena Swan work and our promotions workshops to name just some. All of these help women to develop their careers within the University.

“This equal pay audit is the first that the University has published and is part of Cardiff’s continuing commitment to fairness, gender equality and addressing the balance between males and females in all aspects of University life.”

The outcomes of the audit have been shared with the trade unions and the University is now working with them on a number of action points raised in the audit report.

Further information about the equal pay audit report is available at: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/humrs/staffinfo/Equalpay/equalpayaudit.html