Despite their recent work creating carbon-fibre roofs of impressive thinness, the UK-based Foster + Partners appears to be less adept when it comes to those made of glass. Releasing their gender pay gap data, the firm revealed yesterday that they have been, not so shockingly, paying women 10.5% less per hour than men—a figure that sits slightly above the country's national average of 9.1%.
In 2017, in an effort to help close the wage gap, the UK began requiring all companies with 250 or more employees to submit gender pay gap data to the government. As the UK's largest architecture practice with 1,450 employees globally., Foster + Partners was one of the many companies obligated to submit their figures, which they have also made public.
According to the firm's analysis, the pay gap is less the result of men and women not being paid equally for equivalent jobs, and more the result of unequal gender distribution across the firm. Senior, higher-paid roles are comprised of a larger percentage of men than women, with 83% of those positions occupied by men. In contrast, the overall gender distribution of the firm is 65% men, and 35% women.
In response to the study, Foster + Partners have stated that they are committed to closing the gap and will focus those efforts on encouraging more gender diversity at senior levels. In addition, the firm cites their mentoring initiatives, their partnership with the AJ Women in Architecture Forum, and their commitment to Shared Parental leave, among others, as ways they try to address diversity and provide equal opportunity for their employees.
3 Comments
Love that Gherkin model with this article.
Hahahahahahaha!
"they are committed to closing the gap" does that mean all the ladies are getting a raise?
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