EQUAL-SALARY signifies that male and female employees receive equitable wages for comparable work or work of equivalent value.
According to the assumption of many institutions, wage disparities are typically determined by job sizes and titles. However, upon closer examination of the data, it becomes evident that factors such as women's expectations and promotion priorities during the hiring process contribute significantly to this discrepancy.
According to research conducted by the ILO, women globally earn 20% less than men. According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), this disparity can reach up to 22.8% for certain occupational groups in Türkiye.
The fundamental causes of wage inequality include
Low participation rate of women in the workforce
Unconscious biases and societal roles assigned to women
Insufficient reflection of diversity and inclusivity principles in HR policies
Glass ceiling - Limited promotion and career opportunities for female employees
Equal pay is not only a human right but also one of the fundamental principles of the business world. The EQUAL-SALARY Certification, offered by the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation based in Switzerland, conducts independent evaluations of wage disparities in institutions using a scientific approach. This certification serves as a tool to demonstrate that equal pay is provided to both female and male employees for equivalent work within an organization. By obtaining the EQUAL-SALARY Certification, organizations can position themselves as leaders in fair remuneration practices aligned with principles of diversity and equality. Moreover, it contributes to achieving sustainability goals and enhancing the employer brand.
As the Workforce and Organization Consulting team at PwC Türkiye, we collaborate with the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation in Switzerland to support organizations in establishing a more equitable wage policy through the EQUAL-SALARY Certification process.
Benefits of EQUAL-SALARY certification
Confidence
Independent certification by the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation based on PwC’s findings.
Credibility
Focused and consistently applied methodology for the certification. You will have certainty that you are applying a robust, and tried and tested methodology that was developed in Switzerland.
Differentiation
Obtaining the certification earns you a place among the best employers that do not just talk about their commitment to equality but can actually demonstrate it.
How to become certified?
Statistical analysis
The company uploads employee data onto the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation’s secured IT platform. All data is pseudonymised before being analysed by PwC. The compensation data are destroyed at the end of the procedure.
A statistical regression model is used to analyse the difference in pay for equal work between genders, ethnicities, or intersectional identities. To proceed to step 2, the difference needs to be ≤5% and the regression coefficient ≥90%.
A list of individual employees who are underpaid by >5% is provided so that the company can explain this and/or prepare a remediation plan.
On-site visit by PwC
PwC’s EQUAL-SALARY team carries out an on-site visit to assess:
- management’s commitment to equal treatment
- integration of equal pay and opportunity strategies in HR processes and policies
- employees’ perception of their company’s practices on equal treatment
Certification
Depending on the result of PwC’s visit, the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation grants the EQUAL-SALARY certificate. This gives the company the right to use the EQUAL-SALARY label.
The EQUAL-SALARY label can be used on all company communications, such as
the website, recruitment ads, letterheads and annual reports.
Monitoring visits
The EQUAL-SALARY certification is valid for three years.
During this period, the certified company undergoes two monitoring visits to demonstrate its ongoing commitment and fulfilment of actions to apply a policy of fair, non-discriminatory treatment.
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