We have published the 2021 Deloitte Ireland Gender Pay Gap Report. Communicating and being transparent on the gender pay gap, in advance of the upcoming legislation, which will come into effect in 2022, helps us drive further progress and hold ourselves accountable towards better balance.

What is a gender pay gap?

Not to be confused with the issue of equal pay, the gender pay gap shows the difference in the average hourly rate of pay between female and male employees. It is expressed as a percentage of average male earnings.

In this report we share our ambition and strategy on how we will achieve a better gender balance within our business. We believe reporting on the gender pay gap will support us in meeting our targets.

We publish our gender pay gap and gender bonus pay gap based on the expected legislation which excludes partners. However, we recognise that this is a limited measure given that it is at partner level, as the owners of the business, where we must see meaningful change in gender balance. We have, therefore, included an additional section in the report on how we are thinking about the make-up of our partnership, and how we are holding ourselves accountable regarding our ambition of better balance.

2021 headline figures

We completed a comprehensive independent assessment by role cohort of pay equity for employees, supported by the Deloitte Global central team in 2021. Following this exercise, we are clear that our pay gap arises not due to pay equity, but because of the number of women in senior roles and their tenure in those positions.

The metrics show our overall gender pay and bonus gap based on hourly rates of pay as at the snapshot date of 1 September 2021, and bonuses paid in the year to 1 September 2021.

We have included all our employees in our salary and bonus gap calculations, including those working for Deloitte Northern Ireland.

In a partnership, profits and shareholdings change annually. If we take all employee remuneration, together with partner distributions of profit for one year, we would have an assumed gender pay gap of 31.3% for the period up to September 2021.

Addressing the gap

As part of the overall Deloitte strategy to foster inclusion, in 2021 our CEO and leadership team agreed our refreshed gender balance strategy. This extensive and detailed plan – which was derived through analysis of our career lifecycle from a gender perspective and extensive consultation with our employees over a few years – comprises a number of targeted interventions and, most critically, a focus on our culture and ways of working. Our plan includes the following actions:

• Using targets and metrics to build and monitor the talent pipeline
• Sponsorship, mentoring and development opportunities
• Strengthening our gender balance network
• A range of supports for all working parents, including enhanced leave policies
• Embedding a culture of flexible working
• Continuing to build a culture of diversity, respect and inclusion

We are committed to progressing our gender balance action plan and building upon the progress made to date, which has seen the proportion of female partners increase from 13% in 2011 to 27% in 2021. We are resolute in our target of 35% female partners by 2025.

Calculating the gender pay gap

The gender pay gap is calculated by adding up the wages of all relevant employees and dividing the figure by the number of employees.

The gender pay gap refers to the difference between what is earned, on average by women and men, based on average hourly earnings of all Deloitte Ireland employees - not just people doing the same job or at the same level or working pattern.