MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday, 15 June 2023
NONPROFIT SECTOR MAKING STRIDES IN NARROWING THE GENDER PAY GAP, ACCORDING TO NEW REPORT
The nonprofit sector is making strides in narrowing the gender pay gap, according to a new report published today (15 June 2023) by The Wheel, the national association of charities. The report, funded by the Community Foundation of Ireland, highlights the significant progress made in reducing the mean gender pay gap (GPG) for managers in community, voluntary, and charitable organisations.
According to the report, the mean GPG for managers in the nonprofit sector currently stands at 5.69%. This represents a substantial decrease from previous years, showcasing the dedication and commitment of the sector in achieving gender pay equality. The mean GPG has shown a remarkable downward trend, plummeting from 16.7% in 2017 to 15.2% in 2019, and now reaching the current GPG of 5.69%. The median GPG has followed a similar trajectory, demonstrating consistent progress in closing the gap.
Separately, the report also analyzed the GPG for all grades of employees in 30 large community, voluntary and charitable organisations who submitted gender pay gap reports in compliance with the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021. While the mean GPG for these 30 organisations is low at 3.8%2 (and a median of 0.1%), a wide variation in GPGs exists between the different organisations.
In comparison to the European Union's GPG of 12.7% in 2021, as reported by Eurostat, and Ireland's GPG of 9.9% in 2020, the nonprofit sector's achievement is particularly noteworthy.
Commenting on the findings, Ivan Cooper, CEO of The Wheel said, “The report emphasizes the importance of continued efforts and collaboration in tackling the gender pay gap. By providing fair and equal opportunities for all employees, an increasing number of organisations in the nonprofit sector has proven that progress is possible.”
However, Ivan Cooper warns that women are still underrepresented at the most senior level in charities. ‘” Women overall are still under-represented among the top earners in the sector and over-represented among the lower earners, but to a lesser degree than was the case five years ago”.
Ivan Cooper called on community, voluntary and charitable organisations to renew their focus on closing the gender pay gap at all levels. “We need to increase awareness of the issue, and organisations have to adapt their HR strategies and policies to remove all barriers that could prevent women from progressing in the workplace.”
The high proportion of female staff in the nonprofit sector also differentiates it from most other sectors of the Irish economy. In The Wheel’s National Guide to Pay and Benefits in Community, Voluntary, and Charitable Organisations 2022, women represented 75% of the workforce overall, compared to 46.8% in employment.
-ENDS-
Ivan Cooper is available for an interview. Contact Gert Ackermann on 086 1769287 or email gert@wheel.ie.
Note to Editors.
- 165,000. people are directly employed in Ireland’s nonprofit sector.
- The sector manages an annual income of €14.2billion.
- A GPG figure that represents all employees in the nonprofit sector is currently not available. Section 1 in this report, however, provides data for 1,138 managers in the sector, while Section 2 analyses data from a sample of 30 large organisations (employing 250 or more employees), who have published their GPG reports covering all employees, on-line. Together they shed light on some aspects of the GPG in the non-profit sector.
About The Wheel
The Wheel is the national association of Charities. Its membership includes over 2,250 charities, community groups and social enterprises. The Wheel is a representative voice and a supportive resource that offers advice, training, influence and advocacy for the nonprofit. To learn more about The Wheel’s work visit www.wheel.ie
