Gender pay gap reporting regulations: advancing gender equality policy in tough economic times

Abstract

This article sets out to explain why mandatory gender pay gap reporting regulations were introduced in 2016, whereas the two main parties had previously opposed state regulation. Observing the rise in the number of female MPs, it argues that the rise in descriptive representation has enabled substantive representation, but that this does not necessarily explain outcomes. Critical mass is a problematic concept due to difficulties of definition. Rather, the empirical evidence supports the idea that critical actors able to build alliances within the state machinery and beyond it, particularly by working with business influencers, are decisive in exploiting opportunities for change and securing support for it. Feminization of parliament and government also facilitate institutionalization of gender equality actors, although this process remains incomplete and contingent.

Dear British politics—where is the race and racism?

“…It is, however, worth pointing out that British Politics has published a number of articles relating to citizenship and community cohesion (MacGregor and Bailey 2012; Donoghue 2013; Thomas 2014), and Britain's Muslim communities (Allen 2022). Third, research on race and politics lags that on politics and gender, which fare better than race in the two journals (see Moon et al 2019;Milner 2019). Fourth, a search for research on intersectionality bought up negligible results.…”

Geschlechterungleichheiten in Arbeit, Wohlfahrtsstaat und Familie

“…Making GPG reporting compulsory brought more transparency and a knowledge base to facilitate further action. Prior to the law, voluntary pay audits failed (Adams et al 2010;Milner 2019) despite their high support (82 per cent of businesses consulted agreeing with the reporting principle) and low cost (62 per cent possessing the necessary data, and two thirds judging the implementation costs to be minimal) (GEO 2016). In the voluntary "Think, Act, Report" scheme, only 250 companies representing 22 per cent of employees were involved, and of those only a small proportion conducted and published pay audits (GEO 2014).…”

Redressing gendered undervaluation in New Zealand aged care: Institutions, activism and coalitions

“…Crucially, it was directly linked with associated improvements in working time arrangements so essential to realising substantive equal pay. Indeed, a key critique of the international focus on closing the ‘gender pay gap’ lies in its narrow focus on comparing female and male rates of pay to the exclusion of other employment regulation, sectoral conditions and work organisation that can structure, limit and fracture working hours with direct consequences for income security (see Charlesworth and Smith, 2018; Hebson and Rubery, 2018; Milner, 2019).…”