Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Pay Gap is Decreasing

The pay gap between men and women working in the corporate responsibility and sustainability (CRS) sector is closing and more women are now employed in the top jobs. That’s according to the sixth edition of the Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Salary Survey which was recently published. The survey, which is the largest of its kind, was completed by 1,296 people this year, an 8% increase on 2014.

The survey has been developed to provide a comprehensive insight into the salaries & benefits, responsibilities and backgrounds of people working in the corporate responsibility and sustainability (CRS) sector.

While global average salaries for men have dropped by 1% this year (£67.4k in 2016 compared to £67.8k in 2014), women’s salaries have risen by 5.6 % (£55.1k this year compared to £52.2k in 2014.)

Analysis of gender distribution by job title has also revealed that an increasing number of senior roles are now occupied by women. In-house roles saw a 7% increase in the number of women at director/head of department level, taking the total to 44%.  There was also a pronounced increase in female representation at manager level with 59% CRS manager level jobs now occupied by women – an increase of 11% on 2014.

Within consultancies, the rise in women occupying senior roles was more modest with a 3% increase in women at director/partner taking the total to 30%.

Andy Cartland, founder and managing director of Acre said: “We were surprised to see the gender pay gap close so dramatically this year. Diversity has been a big topic within the sustainability community over the past two years, and the discussion appears to be having an impact.”

Paul Burke, senior partner at Carnstone LLP said: “It’s clear that consultancies have some catching up to do with their in-house counterparts in terms of gender representation at senior levels, but that both are moving in the right direction can be seen as a very positive sign.”