2 Sisters Food Group has reported an overall mean gender pay gap of 9.7%, with a 4.1% median pay gap at a group level.
The legal entity 2 Sisters Food Group has a wider mean gap in hourly pay of 15.3% and 6.9% median difference.
The group’s red meat business hourly pay gap is also wider at 14.5% mean and 12.7% median, while its poultry business recorded a low pay gap of 4.9% mean and 4.8% median, according to its new gender pay gap report.
The report was released in accordance with the UK government’s Gender Pay Gap Regulations which require organisations with 250 or more employees to report on their gender pay gaps by 30 March 2018.
Below Average
The current UK gender pay gap average is 17.4% mean and 18.4% median, while the private sector has a median pay gap of 24.5%, according to the Office of National Statistics.
2 Sisters said its pay gaps are largely driven by an imbalance in the ratio of men and women, particularly at senior levels.
Currently, the company has 26.3% women in its top pay quartile in its food group, 27.6% in its poultry business, and only 10.3% in its red meat business.
In response to the release of its figures, 2 Sisters has pledged to have 30% of senior leadership roles (executive level or above) occupied by women by 2021.
Active Steps
The food group said it is taking active steps to facilitate flexible, part-time and family-friendly work policies for senior management level colleagues.
“I am interested in creating a real culture change on opportunity at our business that will lead the industry,” said Ranjit Singh, president of Boparan Holdings, owner of 2 Sisters.
“We need to create an environment that works for all employees, both male and female. If we do this, we will see more women succeeding in senior management roles.”
The company will also launch a ‘women in leadership’ mentoring programme. This will see members of the senior management team mentoring and helping build a talent pool of women at its business, so they are ready to move into senior management positions, according to 2 Sisters.
Recruitment Steps
The company will further encourage gender diversity in its recruitment process, both internal and external, as well as establishing a set of metrics to regularly monitor its diversity performance and report externally on an annual basis.
“I’m really proud of the extraordinary diversity at 2 Sisters Food Group and I’m determined that we should do everything we can to make ourselves a company where anyone can do well, regardless of their gender,” Singh said.
“These values mean that we always pay our men and women equally for doing the same role with the same level of experience. Unfortunately, like many other companies in our sector and the UK, we have more men than women in senior roles and this is what is driving our current gender pay gap.
“So today we have unveiled a series of initiatives designed to tackle this gap at the senior managerial levels of the organisation to ensure women are better represented and have a stronger voice, and I look forward to seeing solid progress as our new strategy beds in.”
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
