Pay transparency and gender equality

Blundell, Jack, Duchini, Emma, Simion, Ştefania and Turrell, Arthur (2025) Pay transparency and gender equality. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 17 (2). pp. 418-445. ISSN 1945-7731

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• https://pubs.aeaweb.org/doi/10.1257/pol....

Abstract

Since 2018, UK firms with at least 250 employees have been mandated to publicly disclose gender equality indicators. Exploiting variations in this mandate across firm size and time, we show that pay transparency closes 19 percent of the gender pay gap by reducing men’s pay growth. By combining different sources of data, we also provide suggestive evidence that the public availability of the equality indicators enhances public scrutiny. In turn, employers more exposed to public scrutiny seem to reduce their gender pay gap the most.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2025 American Economic Association
Divisions:	LSE
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory
JEL classification:	J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J16 - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J2 - Time Allocation, Work Behavior, and Employment Determination and Creation; Human Capital; Retirement > J24 - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J3 - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs > J31 - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials by Skill, Training, Occupation, etc. L - Industrial Organization > L2 - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior > L25 - Firm Performance: Size, Diversification and Scope, Age, Profit, and Sales
Date Deposited:	12 Sep 2025 14:03
Last Modified:	17 Sep 2025 13:39
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/129500

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