NZ’s Large Employers Report Pay Gaps, Signals Mood For Change

A Public Pay Gap Registry has gone live at mindthegap.nz, showing 47 of our large employers are reporting their gender pay gaps. Seven of those are also reporting their Māori pay gap, and seven are reporting their Pasifika pay gap.

The businesses who are reporting include publicly listed companies across the banking, insurance, electricity, infrastructure and professional services sectors. Most are reporting this information publicly for the first time and they join the likes of Westpac and SkyCity who have led the way on reporting in Aotearoa.

The voluntary registry, a world first, shows each company’s name, Board Chair, CEO, whether they are reporting their pay gaps as well as a link to committed organisations’ reports.

“I want to congratulate each organisation for signing on to report their pay gaps and choosing to do what is right. These businesses should be celebrated and supported by investors, their staff and consumers alike,” says MindTheGap spokesperson Dellwyn Stuart.

Ms Stuart says the launch of the Registry is an important milestone in eliminating discriminatory pay gaps. It shows that pay gap measurement and transparency is becoming common practice in Aotearoa NZ.

“Committing to transparency is the first step. These leaders have collectively sent a clear signal that pay gap reporting is now part of modern business practice and something all employers - state, not for profit and commercial - need to embrace.”

Ms Stuart says pay gap reporting is an easy, low-cost, tangible way for companies to make a significant difference to the aspirations and livelihoods of people affected by pay gaps.

The MindTheGap campaign follows international evidence that shows when businesses know and report their pay gaps, they are more likely to work towards closing them.

Since pay gap reporting became a requirement in the public sector, gender pay gaps decreased from 12.2 per cent to 8.6 per cent.

Time for Change

MindTheGap is calling on the Government to recognise the momentum in reporting and facilitate standardised measures and expectations on pay gap reporting for all employers.

“Progress on pay gap elimination has stalled. We are more than a decade behind other modern economies in taking action. Now is the time for the Government to work with employers to ensure all employees have the benefit of transparency.”

“The Government is on record that it will address pay gaps and now is the time to stay true to that promise. We would like to see an announcement on pay gap reporting before the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act in October.”

Pay gaps for Māori, for Pacific peoples, for gender, disability and other ethnicities persist in Aotearoa NZ. Ms Stuart says pay discrimination impacts on the nation’s well-being: the aspirations of Māori, and Pasifika; marginalisation of other ethnic groups and child poverty.

“The pandemic has and will continue to drive inequalities and feelings of unfairness. New Zealand is slipping behind international peers and on our international agreements on discrimination.”

“We have the opportunity to catch up and implement what has been successful elsewhere in the world. And by incorporating our indigenous people and ethnicities in new Pay Gap Reporting law, New Zealand can be a world leader.”

Anna Stuck, Founder and Chair of the Clare Foundation, strategic and funding partner for MindTheGap, said the uptake of pay gap reporting so far is an excellent base for inspiring other businesses to join the Registry.

“We truly applaud the businesses already doing their bit by being part of the Pay Gap Registry,” says Ms Stuck. “There’s still a long way to go to see the transparency that New Zealanders deserve, especially in the gender space, so we hope the pioneering position of the ‘first 50’ will motivate other businesses to step up and participate.”

Businesses can continue to report their pay gaps and register at MindTheGap.nz. Campaign partner Strategic Pay is available to businesses wishing to begin the process. The Registry will be updated monthly.

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