Think, Act, ReportProgramme manager:

Katrina Lidbetter

www.homeoffice.gov.uk/tar

Outline of presentation• Context: women in the workplace:

– the challenges to equality; and– Government’s approach, in partnership with business, developing a fair and flexible labour

market that uses the talents of all; – Legislation and alternatives

• Think, Act, Report initiative– What the initiative aims to do and why – The three step approach– Who we are working with – Progress to date – one year on report - over a million employees in organisations signed up– Why sign up - the benefits of gender reporting for an organisation

And then • Presentation from one of the organisations signed up to Think, Act, Report – leading law firm, DWF.

Why it matters

Gender pay gap (fulltime)currently-10.5%

Why it matters

gender pay gap incl part time over 20%

Why it matters

Government Action

• Women’s Business Council – reporting next May

• Business mentors for female entrepreneurs

• £2 million to support women’s enterprise in rural areas

• Review into access to finance for women entrepreneurs, working with British Banking Association

• Extending right to request flexible working to all employees – helping all carers to balance work and family life

• Lord Davies review into women on boards – recommendations that listed companies should publish data on women in senior posts and in company as a whole – good progress to date

Legislation

•Strong legislation to tackle discrimination – brought together into one Act, Equality Act 2010, implemented by this Government.

•Equality Act 2010 made pay secrecy clauses unlawful; positive action can be used in recruitment and promotion; protection against discrimination by association.

•Equality Act also includes power (section 78) to require companies to report on gender pay information.

•Building a Fairer Britain: “While we work with business and others to ensure the voluntary approach is successful, we will not commence, amend or repeal section 78.”

Think, Act, Report

• The Think, Act, Report framework asks private and voluntary sector employers to promote greater transparency gender equality by signing up to Think, Act, Report

• Developed with the help of EHRC and CBI

• Launched by Minister for Women and Equalities on 14 September 2011

• Launched with Eversheds, BT, Tesco; and the CBI.

• Voluntary, flexible approach, led by business

• Aimed at medium to large private and voluntary sector organisations (public sector organisations are covered by the public sector equality duty)

• Companies decide that to publish and where – no requirement to publish pay data - different companies will be at different points on the journey – aim is to publish more as work progresses

Not everyone is at the same point on the journey, so we identified three stages:

Think identify any issues around gender equality Act take action to address those issues, then Report publicise progress, internally and externally

Key points:• It is entirely up to you to decide what to publish• There’s no requirement to publish your gender pay gap• There’s no new report to Government or anyone else – but we publish your

case studies if you’d like us to do so

Think, Act, Report

Why sign-up?

Better for business, better for staff, customers and investors

• Sends message to employees, customers, investors about commitment to gender equality – strong reputational value

• Opportunities to share experiences and good practice with other businesses

• Companies with more diverse staff – better able to understand customers (70% of household purchasing decisions made by women)

• Some research that companies with diverse boards deliver better return on investment

Progress so far

Over 50 major companies signed up

UK Workforce in Medium/Large orgs (150+)

1m

0% 10% 20%

Current TAR sign ups

2m

Next Steps  Overall aim: build a culture where promoting gender equality openly and transparently is the

norm. To do this we are:

Working in Partnership to recognise best practice, eg – Working with ENEI – Working with Opportunity Now - Transparency Award April 2013

Getting the word out– Digital tools – website with sign-up form; twitter, linked-in– Encouraging companies already signed-up to talk to their suppliers and other organisations in their

sector– Sector-specific round tables with equality ministers (eg retail roundtable; banking breakfast; law

society event; round table with Linklaters;)

Networks and networking- eg:Women in Rail – supporting their event April 2013

Want to learn more?Visit our website at: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/tar

Read our annual report and flyer

Email us at thinkactreport@geo.gsi.gov.ukor call us on 0207 035....

• Katrina Lidbetter (3803)

• James Charlton (1457)

TAR signed-up supporters

AngelTrains Hallett Retail ServicesArup Hogan Lovells International LLP

B3 Living IBMBAE Systems Imagelinx UK

Berwin Leighton Paiser Julie NerneyBNY Mellon KPMG

BP McDonald’sBritish American Tobacco Marks & Spencer

BT Group MercerBupa Metropolitan Housing Partnership

Centrica MITIE GroupCircle Housing Group Morgan Stanley

Citi UK My Family CareCo-operative Group National Grid

Costain Nomura InternationalDAC Beachcroft LLP Pinsent Masons

Dell Press for ChangeDeloitte Royal Bank of Scotland

DHL Supply Chain Somerset West Business Against CrimeDWF Sustainable Development Capital

EDF Energy TescoEnterprise Rent-A-Car The MAIN Project

Ernst & Young ThreeEversheds Triton Showers

Fujitsu UnileverGE UK & Ireland Vox Feminarum

Genesis Housing Association Walthamstow TimesGlaxoSmithKline Zibrant