Gender Pay Gap Statement
At Emperor, we are committed to creating a workplace where everyone can thrive. Our gender pay gap data is an important indicator of how well we are living up to that commitment, helping us understand where we are making progress and where we need to go further.
The gender pay gap data is a snapshot that reflects our UK gender split at a specific point in time (6 April 2025). It is one of several measures we use within our EDI programme to highlight where we are making progress and where additional focus is needed.
It is important to distinguish between the gender pay gap and equal pay. The gender pay gap reflects the difference in average earnings between men and women across the organisation. Equal pay ensures that people performing the same or equivalent work receive the same salary. We are confident that Emperor provides equal pay for equal work. Our gender pay gap instead reflects the distribution of men and women across different roles and levels. Even when organisations have strong equal pay policies, a gender pay gap can still exist if, for example, more men occupy higher paid roles compared to women.
On the 6 April 2025, our gender split was 127 male and 161 female. That is 44.1% male and 55.9% female. In 2024, it was 42.1% male and 57.9% female, so we have seen a minimal shift here.
Mean and Median gap
Mean | Median | ONS (Median) |
11.1% | 11.5% | 12.8% |
The mean average rate is calculated by adding up everyone’s salary at Emperor and dividing by the number of people employed at that time. The median average rate is calculated by listing all salaries at Emperor in order from the lowest to highest, and pinpointing the salary in the middle, the median.
The mean difference in the average rate of men’s and women’s pay, is 11.1% when compared to men, whilst the median difference between the midpoints in the range is 11.5%.
Compared to 2024, that is a 4.3% decrease in our mean gender pay gap, this reflects continued progress in balancing representation across levels of the business. Our median gap has increased slightly by 0.7%, driven by changes in the distribution of roles within the middle quartiles. The ONS (Office of National Statistics) published a preliminary number of 12.8% in 2025 which is a decrease from 13.1% in 2024. At 11.5%, our median gap sits 1.3% below the national average.
Our Gender Pay Gap over time
| Mean Pay Gap | Median Pay Gap | ONS (Median) |
2021 | 21.8% | 18.9% | 15.4% |
2022 | 13.2% | 8.8% | 14.9% |
2023 | 15.1% | 12.8% | 14.3% |
2024 | 15.4% | 10.8% | 13.1% |
2025 | 11.1% | 11.5% | 12.8% |
Quartiles | Male | Female |
Lower | 34.7% | 65.3% |
Lower Middle | 38.9% | 61.1% |
Upper Middle | 44.4% | 55.6% |
Upper | 55.6% | 44.4% |
Our 2025 mean bonus gap was –213.6% and median bonus gap was -33.3%. As an employee owned business, bonuses in Emperor come in the form of a distribution from the Employee Ownership Trust. Under the terms of the legislation, all employees must be treated on the same terms. Each individual's bonus is calculated on a formula based on salary and length of service. In this case the disparity is reflective of women being paid our maternity leave returners bonus.
We all play a part
Over the past year, we have invested in a series of initiatives designed to empower women’s confidence, visibility, and career progression at Emperor.
Supporting women’s progression
- Every member of the Women’s Collective was offered 1:1 coaching, delivered by Michelle Obee (Client Services Director) and her coaching cohort. This tailored support enabled women to navigate challenges, set ambitious goals, and build momentum in their development.
- At Emperor's annual Be Your Best Festival (BYBF), we held a Talent Stack session focused on amplifying women’s professional impact. Partners explored their individual strengths and learned practical, structured techniques for articulating their value with clarity and confidence.
Building confidence and visibility
- We hosted #IAmRemarkable, led by Leanne Ledger (Senior Brand Strategist). The workshop supported women in recognising and communicating their achievements while challenging cultural norms around self‑promotion.
- We expanded The Serendipity Club, our networking initiative for senior women across IR, finance, HR, and corporate communications. In late 2024, the programme grew to include Manchester, meaning we now host sessions in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Birmingham. These gatherings bring together women leaders to share ideas, build meaningful connections, and create space for inspiration, support, and community.
Ensuring fair and transparent pay
- To reinforce our commitment to fairness and parity, we completed a full salary benchmarking exercise across late 2024 and early 2025.
- Following the review, we introduced clear, company‑wide salary bandings for all roles. These bandings help ensure consistency and transparency, regardless of gender, race, age, or educational background.
While we are encouraged by the progress we have made, we recognise that there is more to do. We remain committed to holding ourselves accountable for ensuring we have a diverse and inclusive workplace.
This statement confirms that the published information is accurate at the time of publishing and is signed and authorised by Kingsley James, Director.