where we are and what we are doing Gender Pay Gap Report 1

Transcription

1 Gender Pay Gap Report where we are and what we are doing Gender Pay Gap Report 1

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3 Contents What is the gender pay gap? 4 What the mandatory statistics don t tell us 6 How we are addressing the gap 8 Our statistics 10 Gender Pay Gap Report 3

4 new legislation What is the gender pay gap? New legislation came into force in April 2017 requiring UK employers with more than 250 employees to publish their gender pay gap. This is an equality measure that shows the difference in average earnings between men and women, whatever their role, and does not look at equal pay for work of equal value. For this year, data is for London only as Glasgow did not meet the threshold of 250 employees. We expect to publish data for Glasgow in future reports. This report provides an understanding of why we have a gap, the mandatory statistics and what we are doing as a firm to address this. Developing an inclusive culture which allows everyone to perform at their best is critical in delivering the optimal client service we aim for. The gender pay gap presents a barrier to achieving this high performance culture and we welcome the opportunity to bring a focus to this area as part of our quest for continuous improvement and challenge. It is a logical extension of the gender metrics reports our Board has commissioned over the last few years, looking at a range of key performance indicators through a gender lens. simon beddow Managing Partner London Examining and addressing our gender pay gap is not comfortable or straightforward, but it is key to achieving our long term business strategy and leveraging the people and culture which are our key strengths. claire townshend Head of HR EMEA and US 4 Gender Pay Gap Report

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6 What the mandatory statistics don t tell us The required metrics provide a snapshot of data to identify any gender pay gap, but do not provide any insight into the cause of the gap. Any gap will be significantly influenced by the structure of the firm and roles which are predominantly filled by one gender, something shared with reporting organisations as a whole but that is especially pronounced in the legal sector. At Ashurst: Women make up 61.8% of the firm. 60% of women are in business services and secretarial roles versus 39% of men As a result of the structure of the firm 46% of women are eligible for bonuses. The table below illustrates the distribution of roles by gender within Ashurst. Female Male Total Legal Business services Secretary Total Legal staff All lawyers at the same level are paid the same salary irrespective of gender. Our gap occurs because: We have more women at trainee and junior levels as seen in the graph below. There are more men at senior levels, reflective of the legal sector in general. Since more senior roles attract a higher salary and have greater bonus potential, more men in senior roles results in a skew of average pay towards men. Bonuses are calculated by reference to a matrix and are based on both performance and chargeable hours. On average, men have recorded more chargeable hours and received more top ratings Female Male % Trainee Junior Associate Associate Senior Associate/ Counsel 6 Gender Pay Gap Report

7 Business services staff The firm is committed to equal pay for equal work, however the shape of our business services teams has a direct impact on the gender pay gap. Whilst we have more women in manager roles and an equal number of men and women in senior management, there are many more roles at the non-manager level and the majority of these roles are filled by women. In the majority of functions with female leaders there are pay gaps in favour of women. The causes of our gap are that: Non-manager roles make up the majority of our business services group Non-manager roles are not eligible for a bonus Female Male % Non-manager Manager Senior manager Gender Pay Gap Report 7

8 ashurst initiatives How we are addressing the gap Unconscious bias awareness Raising awareness of unconscious bias now forms part of our mandatory diversity and inclusion training programme; in addition, we have developed tailored modules to address the bias likely to arise in specific situations such as new partner promotions and performance reviews. Gender balance Ashurst s broadly based approach to improving gender balance at the firm was recognised in 2017 when we were awarded a place in the Times Top 50 Places for Women to Work. We set aspirational gender targets in 2013 (for new partners, equity partners and women in management), report on a range of gender metrics each year, and organise a range of mentoring programmes and events to support and develop our talented women. Work allocation Since July 2015, work in Corporate Transactions and Corporate Projects have been allocated by an independent manager rather than partners. Feedback on perceived fairness of work allocation, opportunities for associates to access new work, and more equal utilisation has been positive which is impacting on the bonus scheme. The rollout was extended to SDG, Financial Regulatory, Dispute Resolution and Real Estate over the last 18 months. We are especially proud that our work allocation initiative has also won the Game Changer Award in the Business in the Community Gender Equality Awards Review of the firm bonus plan A global team is reviewing our approach to bonus to ensure our culture supports highly motivated staff. How we determine eligibility and how we calculate bonus will be changed from the new financial year; as a result, all business services staff and executive assistants will now be considered for a bonus, with clearer guidance provided on the criteria for any awards. The emphasis on chargeable hours as a metric against which eligibility is measured for legal staff will be reduced, with a greater focus placed on the wider role of a lawyer. Further changes to our approach are being developed and will be shared in due course. Smarter Working Launched in 2017, this programme empowers people to work wherever and whenever, provided that the requirements of our clients and our teams are met. It is about ensuring people can work in a way that suits them and aims to retain more senior women in the organisation. Career Focus Increasing the awareness of opportunities and varied career paths is important in retaining and supporting women to reach more senior roles. Launched in October 2017, this initiative is a way to encourage career conversations and showcase role models who have followed different 8 Gender Pay Gap Report

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10 ashurst gender pay data Our statistics Mean and median pay gap This is the difference between the average of men s and women s pay or bonus (mean) and the difference between the midpoints in the ranges of men s and women s pay or bonus (median). Government information on statutory pay gap reporting and what the gender pay gap means can be accessed via the gov.uk website. The following tables show the mandatory gender pay data. All staff legal, business services and secretarial gender pay gap bonus pay gap bonus achievement Mean Median Mean Median Female Male 24.8% 32.7% 64.4% 60.2% 34.1% 44.3% PAY GAP QUARTILES The proportion of men and women in each quartile of the organisation pay structure. 56% 38% 39% 19% Upper quartile Upper middle quartile Lower middle quartile Lower quartile 44% 62% 61% 81% Female Male 10 Gender Pay Gap Report

11 Legal staff gender pay gap bonus pay gap bonus achievement Mean Median Mean Median Female Male 16.37% 21.04% 62.60% 55.19% 35.3% 46.5% PAY GAP QUARTILES The proportion of men and women in each quartile of the organisation pay structure. 62% 48% 38% 45% Upper quartile Upper middle quartile Lower middle quartile Lower quartile 38% 52% 62% 55% Female Male Gender Pay Gap Report 11

12 Broadwalk House, 5 Appold Street, London EC2A 2HA. T: +44 (0) F: +44 (0) Ashurst LLP and its affiliates operate under the name Ashurst. Ashurst LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales under number OC It is a law firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority of England and Wales under number The term partner is used to refer to a member of Ashurst LLP or to an employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualifications or to an individual with equivalent status in one of Ashurst LLP s affiliates. Further details about Ashurst can be found at Ashurst LLP 2018 Ref D/7700