Addressing the Gender Pay Gap

Our Human Resources Vision and Purpose outlines the University’s commitment to being an equitable and inclusive employer. University plans support the drive to increase the diversity of the workforce, including increasing the number of women in senior academic, management and leadership roles.

What we are doing

Closing the gender pay gap is a long-term commitment of which some actions have a more direct impact. In 2022 the University launched a new strategy and a new HR Vision and Purpose. Both place equity, diversity and inclusion at the heart of improving the employee experience which is essential to reducing the gender pay gap.

We have recruited a a Pro Vice Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to ensure working practices are core to the University’s activities, operations and aspirations.
The University remains committed to Athena Swan, which aims to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in employment in higher education and research.

We currently hold the following awards:

  • University Bronze award
  • AACME Bronze award
  • ABCE Bronze award
  • Science Bronze award
  • Science Bronze award
  • SSEHS Silver award
  • SSH Bronze award
  • Wolfson Bronze award

The following Schools are either working towards their first submission or a re-submission in 2023:

  • ABCE
  • London
Worked with Campus Trade Union representatives to identify further possible actions to reduce the gender pay gap.
Nominations Committee, which develops a pipeline of candidates for Council and its Sub-Committees, is committed to diversifying membership as positions become available over the next five years.
Continue to celebrate the success of women at Loughborough through, for example, award submissions, events, and our global marketing and communications.
Been an active member of the Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN), enabling us to share and learn from best practice.
Completed a comprehensive review of academic promotion criteria and processes to ensure that they align with the new University strategy and reflect the careers of women and people with other protected characteristics.
Launched Loughborough’s first women’s’ network – Maia – to provide support for female progression. Membership now stands at 500 people.
Launched a Coaching, Mentoring and Buddying Framework, helping to ensure that all colleagues – regardless of job family or grade – can, if they want to, apply to have access to a coach, mentor or buddy.
Progressed actions within a development programme for women called the TORCH programme.
Made unconscious bias training mandatory for all selection panels and senior leadership teams.

Moving forward we are:

Implementing an Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee to develop the strategic governance and leadership which will direct the actions to reduce the gender pay gap.
Undertaking an ongoing review into all recruitment activity with a focus on improving the way women are attracted and recruited to the University. Actions for this include:

  • Implementing a University wide recruitment statement relating to EDI which also incorporates proactively advertising flexible working arrangements.
  • Removing of gendered language within job descriptions in favour of more inclusive language to encourage more people from marginalised groups to apply for roles.
  • Continuing to use diverse social media platforms including female only jobs boards as well as using word of mouth attraction to reach out to potential female academics in relation to the female RTE population.
  • Reviewing the outcome of a pilot to include a pass/fail question into the recruitment process specific to equity diversity and inclusion.
  • To ensure there is a gender split on interview panels.
  • To review and improve the use of data relating to leavers to ensure the information this provides is used to inform changes to working practices.
Carrying out a review of Performance and Development Reviews to ensure that career development and progression is embedded in the discussions.
Implementing dynamic working arrangements to help people to work more flexibly and to blend work and home life more effectively.
Conducting a review of reward arrangements to ensure greater transparency, consistency and fairness across staff groups is achieved.
Conducting a review of grade 9 pay and a review of starting salaries to consider the impact and effectiveness of new joiner pay negotiations and the use of market supplements.