Tuesday marked Equal Pay Day, the point in the year when the average woman's salary catches up to what white men made in 2018. For women of color, for whom the gap is far greater, it won't be until November that each of their earnings match men's salaries from 2018.

These statistics are a stark reminder that the historic pay gap continues to persist. Hoping to change that, last year, the UK government began requiring companies with 250 or more employees to publish an annual gender pay gap report that would include figures such as the median gender pay gap and what proportion of men versus women receive bonus payments. 

For architecture firms in the UK, 2019 reporting showed little signs of progress. In fact, a number of the practices required to reveal their figures not only failed to improve gender pay gaps, but saw an increase. 

"There is no place for discrimination in our profession. Yet, almost 50 years after equal pay legislation came into force in the UK, significant instances of inequality remain," said RIBA President Ben Derbyshire. "Change is long overdue and all of us - employers, employees and the RIBA - have a vital role to play," he added. 

With unequal pay in the spotlight, the Royal Institute of British Architects is hoping to help practices close the gap. Today, the organization published a guide that outlines a range of effective best practice measures and initiatives. RIBA is encouraging firms of all sizes to sign their pledge to demonstrate a commitment to supporting a diverse and inclusive profession.

The guidance included attempts to address a range of underlying factors that contribute to the pay gap—from anti-mom biases to the ways in which higher self-doubt can prevent fair pay negotiations—while offering effective solutions for each stage of the employee life cycle, from recruitment to leaving an organization.

Jo Bacon, the Allies and Morrison Partner who chairs RIBA's Gender Pay Working Group, commented that "the RIBA exists to provide leadership to all practices, whatever their size. Now that gender pay gap is at the front of our minds, this work can help practices to be able to fully understand the consequences of their gaps and also invite them on a wider journey to improve access to architecture and equality for all."