In this episode, I set out the commercial reality many UK employers are still avoiding: EU pay transparency is not a future compliance exercise only for companies in the EU. Pay has shifted from a private management decision to a public, evidence-based issue and organisations no longer control when, where, or how pay decisions are scrutinised. Even those outside of the EU.

I explain why doing nothing is not neutral. Inaction hands control of the pay narrative to employees, social media, AI tools and external stakeholders. This episode is about what HR, Reward, and leadership teams stand to lose — credibility, trust, and commercial stability, if they fail to prepare for transparency at scale.

In this episode, I discuss:

• How social media and peer comparison are eroding employer control over the pay narrative.

• Why AI has become the new employee pay and career advisor — and what that means for managers and HR.

• How EU pay transparency extends accountability across supply chains, subsidiaries, acquisitions and future investments.

• Why pay equity has become a brand and investor issue, not just an HR metric.

If these challenges are already showing up in your organisation, you'll find a link to my calendar in the show notes. Book time if you need support deciding how to respond before the narrative is written for you.

Need 1:! support? Book here

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Investors are now scrutinising ESG S scores more than ever — and gender pay gap data and actions are playing a central role in their decision-making. In this episode, we explore how ESG reporting, social metrics, and workforce equality initiatives are influencing investment decisions and what HR and corporate leaders need to know to stay ahead.

We cover:

• How ESG S metrics, including pay gap reporting, affect investor confidence

• Why pay equity actions are becoming critical for ESG compliance

• Steps HR teams can take to improve ESG S scores through actionable initiatives

• How companies can link workforce data and social responsibility reporting to demonstrate impact

• Practical strategies for preparing HR and pay gap data for investor review

Whether you're an HR leader, executive, or ESG professional, this episode will help you understand how pay gap actions are shaping ESG scores and, ultimately, investor decisions. Learn what investors are looking for and how to ensure your organisation meets these evolving expectations.

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Resources

Access your ESG Pay Gap Checklist

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Today, host Michelle Gyimah interviews Sarah Clark, the Decarbonisation Delivery Manager for Europe, Middle East & Africa and co-chair of the AXIS Network, a gender equity group supporting the energy transition in the UK.

Throughout her career, Sarah has held a variety of process engineering and project management positions in the UK and Poland, which includes design, offshore and site-based roles, as well as corporate consulting positions within O&G and military sectors. Sarah is passionate about the promotion of women in business and women in engineering and volunteers her time leading Wood's gender equality group and co-leads AXIS Network promoting gender parity. Sarah completed her Executive MBA in April 2022 and following an 18-month role working directly for the CEO and the executive team of a FTSE 250, Sarah recently joined the Decarbonisation team as the Decarbonisation Delivery Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa.  Sarah lives outside of London with her husband and their two cats.

In this conversation we explore the challenges in attracting young talent to the energy sector and  potential impact of ethnicity pay gap reporting and the importance of creating an environment where people feel safe to disclose their data.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the immediate challenges for organisations in addressing pay gaps and the need for systemic change. Sarah encourages listeners to join the AXIS Network and participate in its initiatives to drive gender equity in the energy sector.

For more information and to sign up for the AXIS Network, visit their website (https://www.axisnetwork.co.uk/) or email info@axisnetwork.co.uk

Quote Highlight: "Emphasising the importance of senior leadership commitment to achieve impactful change, rather than viewing diversity and inclusion as solely an HR responsibility"

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Need 1:1 support? Book your free consultancy call here: Book a call

Today I'm sharing with you the most common mistakes I see organisations make with their pay gap action plans. For those of you in HR who want to avoid these mistakes or find ways to fix these mistakes, this episode is for you. 

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Need 1:1 support? Book a free consultancy call: Book Michelle Gyimah

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Today we are exploring how HR teams can close their pay gaps internally with no help from consultants. Why? Because it is possible, IF you know what to do. 

So, if you are an employer looking for steps on how to address your pay gap internally, tune in to this episode to understand the best way to do this.

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Best podcast quote:

"Ultimately, it's great for you to work on your pay gap plan internally, but you do have to be clear on the effort that is required. And the effort comes in the capacity, skills and time."

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Today we are exploring how to measure pay gap impact and maximise its effectiveness. 

I will go through how HR can get the most out of your pay gaps plan by focusing on:

• Accountability, responsibility and implementation
• Creating success metrics to track data analysis better
• How to effectively communicate your organisation's pay gap goals, progress, and challenges.

Best podcast quote

"You have to work the pay gap plan, there are going to be some areas that are easier than others for you. But all of these areas that I've mentioned, they all hold value, and all of them will impact the return on investment that you have put into your pay gap work."

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If you know that you need pay gaps help, how do you choose the right consultancy? Well this is what we'll be discussing in today's episode.

I've spoken to countless HR leaders who have waited 6-18 months to work with me because of their fear of the unknown and investment concerns. If this sounds like you, this episode will help you tackle these issues so that you can make the right decision for your organisation.

In this episode I go through five questions you should be asking as well as what answers to look out for so that you pick the right one.

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Best podcast quote:

"Essentially you're doing this because you need reassurance that they know exactly what they're doing. Looking at someone's website and looking at social media on its own is not going to be enough because it is so easy today to put something on the internet and to claim that you are an expert, or really knowledgeable in a particular space."

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 It's not an easy decision to hire in a pay gaps consultancy to help you out. When I work with clients, I understand the challenges and concerns that organisations have. I'm also accutely aware that a big fear is that hiring a consultant will be a big mistake.

So in todays episode, I share three key challenges and fears that I see HR leaders grappling with and how to minimise them when deciding if you should hire a pay gaps consultancy. 

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Best podcast quote

"There's never any one way to address closing pay gaps. It's going to be different for everybody. What we decide to do together depends on our working relationship, your business model, your sector and ultimately discovering what's going to work for you as an organisation."

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Sign up to our webinar coming up on 21st March: "Own Your Own Pay Gap Narrative":  https://equalitypays.vipmembervault.com/products/courses/view/1165273

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Should you get your pay gap data verified? Well the answer all depends on why you want to and what you hope to gain from it. Given that unverified pay gap data could ruin your credibility it may be worth getting it audited. 

In this episode I'll share the benfits of getting your data verified and some bonus tips on how to get the most out of your pay gap data audit.

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• Sign up to join us on 12th March here: Equality Pays (vipmembervault.com)

"Using software is going to minimise the likelihood of mistakes... It's all about having that autonomy in terms of the skill set, but also autonomy over your own data, and that helps to increase your confidence in understanding your data."

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• Gender pay gap reporting: What poor statistics means for employers- Episode #1  Beyond the pay gap figure with Michelle Gyimah (pod.link)

• Addressing the gender pay gap, what can leaders do today? - Still Loading podcast, episode 21

• How employers can proactively address the gender pay gap - The Employment law and HR podcast, episode 219

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Today I'm lifting the lid on the top three mistakes I see organisations making in their gender pay gap reports. Knowing these top mistakes will help you not only to write better reports, but also to create better pay gap strategies.

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• Sign up to join us on 12th March here: Equality Pays (vipmembervault.com)

"I read their gender pay gap report and I was underwhelmed. But now I've read this EDI policy and I'm chomping at the bit to work for them. It just didn't make sense. And then I realised that what had happened...quite often people feel very, very restricted around what they can talk about in their pay gap reports and how they can communicate, It's almost like they feel like they've been put in a box."

• Will your gender pay gap get you cancelled?- Episode #1 Gender pay gap reporting: What poor statistics means for employers (pod.link)

• Gender pay gap results: Rethinking how HR measures success - Episode 4  -

•  Gender pay gap compliance and reporting tools - Episode 6 

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Today we are talking about the gender pay gap bot. When it first appeared on X (then known as Twitter) back in 2021 on International Womens Day it would respond to organisations social media announcement by simply retweeting it's gender pay gap data. 

This gained a lot of interest and responses from the public. Many organisations didn't know how to handle being put on the spot with their pay gap data. Some organisations responded defensively or removed their tweets to avoid backlash.

‌I'll be sharing the implications of the gender pay gap bot and how organisations can better handle accountability on public social media platforms.

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Best podcast quote:

"This isn't about being slick and saying the right things. But it's about being competent, in how you're going to respond to criticism. Because there's nothing wrong with somebody critiquing you over your pay gap, it's a piece of information that somebody has an opinion on, and then it's up to you to respond to that."

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What should you do if your pay gap is stagnating or even rising? Many organisations panic and start looking for quick fixes - many of which can make things worse. Today I'm going to share my three top tips of what to do instead to get better results.

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Enjoyed this? Listen to these episodes too:

The pay gap and internal communication

The gender pay gap & equal pay at work

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Today I explain why publishing a pay gap report is only the beginning — not the end — of the work. I talk you through exactly what your board will want to see next: a clear narrative, a focused and costed action plan and visible leadership accountability.

Tune in to discover practical ways to present your data in a way that drives real change.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why pay gap reporting is just the starting point, and what boards really want to know.

• How to move beyond the data with a focused and costed action plan that addresses root causes.

• The importance of visible leadership ownership, making sure this isn't seen as just HR's responsibility.

• Best quote

• "Boards don't just want data; they want direction. They want to know what you're going to do about the pay gap you're presenting."

• ------------------------------

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Today we're discussing gender pay gap results and how to decide what success looks like. So many organisations only focus on the reduction of pay gap figure as the only and/or most important success factor. But it;s not. 

I'll share with you different ways my previous clients have measured pay gap success. Some of these 'alternative' success measures are often what organisations need to do more of, rather than obsessing over percentage point reductions.

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  "...When you drill down into how that's come about, what you will find is that there's lots of opportunities for you to be doing lots of work behind the scenes. That's going to make your workplace more inclusive, and the side effect of that might be that your pay gap figure reduces, and that would be great if it doesn't, but then also it might not, but you're still making progress. You're still having success. You are still addressing the root causes of your pay gap in the first place."

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Enjoyed this? Listen in to these other episodes too:

The benefits of pay transparency in HR

Progress on gender pay gaps - part 1

This week we are talking about the problem with chasing quick gender pay gap fixes. HR leaders often find themselves under pressure to demonstrate pay gap progress, often with little or no support. This leads to you trying to find quick fixes that make your pay gap statistics look good, but don't bring long-term change.

I share the most common quick fixes I've seen organisations choose and how they often damage organisational culture and brand reputation in the long run. 

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"It's no good just parachuting women into a role where they're totally unprepared for it and you haven't put anything in place to support them, to ensure that they're going to thrive in that.. This is an example of another unethical move, and it's actually a move that gets everybody's back up, because it's damaging for everybody that's evolved, it's damaging for the person that's been parachuted in and it's also damaging for everyone else around them.."

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Other episodes with Michelle Gyimah you'll enjoy:

• Stop focusing on just trying to close your gender pay gap - Episode #2 

• How employers can proactively address the gender pay gap - The Employment law and HR podcast, episode 219

• Addressing the gender pay gap, what can leaders do today? - Still Loading podcast, episode 21

Today we are talking about how organisations miss the mark by focusing on just closing their pay gap figure. I'll share the pitfalls of just focusing on pay gap statistics and what you should be doing instead. I'll also share examples from previous clients on how I helped them to avoid this big mistake.

Book a consultancy call: Book Michelle Gyimah

Enjoyed this? Listen to these episodes next:

• Gender pay gap reporting: What poor statistics mean for employers - Episode #1

• How employers can proactively address the gender pay gap - The Employment law and HR podcast, episode 219
•  How to Become a Competent DEI Practitioner: Michelle Gyimah - Confessions of a DEO pro - episode 92

Resources For HR and senior leadership

• 'Own your pay gap narrative' webinar

• Sign up to join us on 31st January here: Equality Pays (vipmembervault.com)

• The difference between gender pay gap and equal pay - EHRC guidance

This week we're talking about how employers should respond to poor gender pay gap statistics, This is of particular importance if you are worried about reputational damage and boycotts.  We'll also cover how you should communicate your pay gap results to your employees so that they understand them and believe that your action plans are credible.

• Sign up to join us on 31st January here: Equality Pays (vipmembervault.com)

• "You can't stop being cancelled. What you can do is prepare your internal and external comms to handle any criticism that may come your way due to your figures. But you can only do that if you prepare."
  

• Addressing the gender pay gap, what can leaders do today? - Still Loading podcast, episode 21

• How employers can proactively address the gender pay gap - The Employment law and HR podcast, episode 219
•  How to Become a Competent DEI Practitioner: Michelle Gyimah - Confessions of a DEO pro - episode 92

Want more strategies to close your pay gap? Get me free weekly pay gaps update newsletter every Wednesday.

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In this insightful episode, I spoke with Sarah Stanton, Chief People Officer at National Gas, to explore their journey in addressing gender and ethnicity pay gaps. Sarah shares practical strategies, challenges, and successes in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within a traditionally male-dominated industry. From recruitment tactics to retention programs, this conversation uncovers the realities of driving systemic change in the workplace.

• On Recruitment: "Women tend to think, 'If I don't meet 90% of the criteria, I shouldn't apply.' We honed in on 3–4 key skills to widen the talent pool."

• On Retention: "Sponsorship is about advocacy—bringing women into the room and creating opportunities."

• On Inclusion: "Simple fixes, like redesigning PPE for women, can remove daily barriers. Men often don't realise these challenges exist."

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• Follow Sarah Stanton on LinkedIn.

• Explore National Gas's DEI initiatives: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | National Gas

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In this case study episode, I shares how one of my clients successfully reduced their pay gap by 14.9% in three years.

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Quote Highlight:

"Real change happens when policies align with the company's values, and actions back them up."

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Today we are focusing on what employers get wrong about true success when it comes to closing the pay gap.

‌Success is not just about meeting legal requirements for reporting pay gaps, or even closing your pay gap. Success should be about making positive impact, creating sustainable actions and having relevant to you success measures.

If your pay gap success is not measured by these things, then this podcast episode is for you.

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Quote Highlight

"Success in pay gap reduction isn't just about the numbers; it's about the retention and satisfaction of diverse talent."

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Today we're discussing the biggest mistake I see organisations make in their pay gap action plans.

It's focusing on the metric of lowering your pay gap figure. It is one of the biggest misconceptions that feed into so many pay gap myths. Tune it to find out why this is a mistake and what to do instead.

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In this episode, our guest is Susan Grayson, an expert in creating inclusive workplaces, especially for women experiencing menopause.

Together we discuss:

The challenges women face in the workplace due to menopause and how this impacts the gender pay gap

How menopause is often overlooked as a factor affecting women's career progression.

How organisations can addres these issues through supportive policies to retain talented women.

Quote Highlight:

"Employers need to understand that creating an inclusive environment goes beyond policy – it's about understanding and support."

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 In this episode, we are pleased to have Aurélien Joly, the Communication Manager for the Equal Salary Foundation. Aurélien discusses the foundation's work in certifying companies for equal pay.

Together we discuss:The audit process and must meet specific criteria to achieve certification

The positive impact certified companies often see after certiciation 

 The strategic importance of equal pay certification for organisational resilience, talent retention, and legal preparedness, particularly in light of evolving European regulations.

Quote Highlight:

 "It's about being proactive so that you're not caught on the backfoot and caught out because you haven't been doing this work in advance."

You can connect with Equal Salary Foundation at the following places: 

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Today Michelle Gyimah is interviewing Sharna Matson Knight from Cadent Gas Limited. Sharna shares her experiences and insights as the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Manager, discussing Cadent's gender pay gap, the initiatives they have implemented, and the journey towards creating an inclusive workplace.

In this episode we discuss:

How Cadent Gas gender pay gap has fluctuated due to organisational changes

 The importance of transparency and providing a narrative to drive change

 How employee communities and networks play a significant role in driving change and offering feedback

Why Cadent Gas voluntarily reports on their ethnicity pay gap.

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Quote Highlight:

"Addressing pay gaps proactively not only prevents legal and financial repercussions but also enhances your brand's reputation and aligns with global standards of fairness."

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