11.10.2021: UK Music has called on the Government to help remove the barriers that stand in the way of closing the gender pay gap.
The intervention from the collective voice of the UK Music industry followed the October 5 deadline for large employers to report their latest gender pay gap figures.
UK Music said “swifter and greater” progress was needed to tackle the issue.
UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin said:
“There have been some welcome improvements on tackling the gender pay gap, which will come down as more women take on senior and leadership positions within their organisations.
“Many businesses in the music industry have introduced excellent schemes to help bring about positive changes. However, there are still worrying gender pay gaps in the music industry and workplaces everywhere.
“We need swifter and greater progress to address some of the structural barriers that hinder the progress of women in the workplace.
“The Government must do more to help tackle these challenges. This includes addressing the need for more equitable parental leave schemes that work for all families, ensuring well-funded and accessible childcare, and ensuring access to justice for victims of workplace discrimination.
“Employers should fully support employees when they have children, embrace flexible working whenever possible, and review structures that lead to disappointing pay gaps.
“By working together and continuing to press everyone to close the gender pay gap we can put the music industry at the forefront of bringing about fairness and inclusivity in the workplace.”
UK Music Diversity Taskforce Chair Ammo Talwar said:
“The gender pay gap is at the heart of the debate over equality and diversity and it is concerning that such glaring inequities remain in our sector.
“We have known about these issues across the music industry for years, it’s now time to instil a better framework. All companies need to be held accountable for taking on this issue.
“UK Music and its Diversity Taskforce is determined to continue building on our Ten-Point Plan to help eliminate the gender pay gap.
“It’s time every employer in the music industry – large and small – signed up to the aims of the Ten-Point Plan. It is vital that all employers look at their structures and ensure they have the right framework in place to create a more inclusive and diverse industry.”
UK Music Diversity Taskforce Deputy Chair Paulette Long said:
“Tackling the gender pay gap as we emerge from a crisis that has disproportionately hit women and their incomes is more urgent than ever.
“The pace of change needs to be accelerated so women do not have to wait for yet more years before the necessary actions are taken that will allow us to see more equitable outcomes in the way we are paid.”
UK Music and its Diversity Taskforce will be publishing a progress update next month on the Ten-Point Plan it unveiled last October. You can read the Ten-Point Plan here.
Since 2017, employers with 250 employees must comply with regulations on gender pay gap reporting. More details are available on the Government website here.
UK Music has campaigned for the rules to be updated on shared parental leave and pay rules to include self-employed parents for years. You can read more about our #SelfieLeave campaign here.
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