Ethnicity pay gap

Our 2023 position and commitment

Why do we report ethnicity pay gap data?

This is the second year we are reporting our ethnicity pay gap data. Although reporting is not compulsory, we are committed to being transparent and accountable, and taking steps to address the gap. By analysing ethnicity pay information, we can identify and investigate any pay disparities.

What does the data show?

Our report measures the difference between the average earnings of colleagues that have declared themselves as minority ethnic and those that have declared themselves non-minority ethnic in April 2023. 

As with the gender pay gap, it does not measure equal pay, which relates to the pay that people receive when in the same job, or for doing work of equal value.

The mean ethnicity pay gap for Wesleyan was 34.08% for April 2023 (31.90% in 2022). This shows that across the Society, on average all employees from a minority ethnic background are paid less than all employees in the non-minority ethnic background.

The ethnicity bonus gap is 64.87% for April 2023 (50.87% in 2022). This shows that on average, employees in the non-minority ethnic category were paid a higher bonus payment.

Understanding the gap

One of the main reasons for our ethnicity pay gap is due to there being less minority ethnic representation at senior levels, an issue we are continuing to work hard to address.

Similarly, the main driver behind our bonus scheme gaps is that some of our bonus schemes are calculated from a percentage of an employees' salary, and many of our minority ethnic colleagues are in more junior roles where the bonus payments are lower than those for more senior roles.

Senior leadership representation

At a senior leadership level, we have 10.20% minority ethnic representation. This percentage has been gradually improving over the years, but we recognise we need to do more to increase representation.

With this aim, we have a future target in place to reach 18% minority ethnic representation at senior leadership level. Our Executives are firmly in support of this target, and as an organisation we are actively implementing more inclusive recruitment and development processes.  

What are we doing to improve our pay gap?

We have identified some actions to help move the dial throughout the employee experience - from how we attract and recruit to developing, rewarding and retaining colleagues.

The key areas that we are focussing on during 2024 include:

  • Diversity and inclusion training: Continuing with mandatory training for all employees to raise awareness about unconscious biases, cultural competence and inclusive behaviours to foster an inclusive work environment.
  • Inspiring Individuality Development Programme: A dedicated development programme aimed to enhance team leadership skills and cultivate a diverse and inclusive leadership pipeline through an apprenticeship qualification.
  • Diverse hiring practices: Setting diversity targets and ensuring we have diverse interview panels to mitigate biases and promote fair hiring practices.
  • Outreach and recruitment initiatives: Forging partnerships with diverse communities, schools and organisations to attract a broader pool of candidates from different ethnic backgrounds.
  • Mentorship programmes: We have formal and informal mentorship programmes to support the career development and advancement of employees from underrepresented groups.
  • Employee Network Groups: Our four Employee Network Groups provide a safe space where employees with shared characteristics and experiences can connect, share experiences and advocate for inclusive practices within Wesleyan.
  • Flexible work policies: Flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options and flexible hours, to accommodate the diverse needs of employees from different ethnic minority backgrounds, carers and working parents.
  • Diversity metrics and accountability: Our ED&I dashboard enables us to regularly track progress on diversity and inclusion data.
  • Leadership commitment and visibility: Our Senior Leaders visibly champion diversity and inclusion efforts by leading by example, advocating for change, and allocating resources to support these initiatives.