Australia gender pay gap employer statement

Employer statement – partnership

This statement supplements the gender pay gap data published by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), providing further context on our data and our commitments to closing the gender pay gap.

Commitment to gender equality

At A&O Shearman, we are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where all employees, regardless of gender, have equal opportunities to thrive. Our long-term aim is to close the gender pay gap, ensuring that our compensation practices are fair and transparent. We recognise that achieving gender equality is a continuous journey that requires sustained effort and accountability.

Understanding the difference between gender pay gap and equal pay gap

It is crucial to distinguish between a gender pay gap and an equal pay gap. At A&O Shearman, we ensure that our employees receive equal pay for performing the same role at the same performance level, irrespective of gender. As part of our annual remuneration process, we meticulously review our data to confirm gender pay parity for comparable roles. Additionally, we consistently evaluate our review process and bonus plan to minimise gender bias at every stage.

Our gender composition and the pay quartile

During the reporting period, we had 73 female employees and 57 male employees, with 56% representation of female and 44% male. A disproportionate gender composition leads to a concentration of women in all levels of quartiles, except the lower middle quartile, which is evenly split at 50%.

Our gender pay gap industry comparison

According to WGEA's Benchmarking Report, our average total remuneration is 14.4% in favour of men, while the broader comparison group is 19% in favour of men.

Closing the gap

Despite the overrepresentation of women in the workforce, a gender pay gap that favours men persists. The primary cause of the high average gender pay gap in both base salary and total remuneration is the recent enhancement in WGEA reporting, which now includes remuneration data for CEO/Head of Business in the gender pay gap calculations. This 'CEO effect' significantly impacts the average gender pay gap, while the median gender pay gap remains relatively stable.

To address this imbalance, we are committed to increasing the number of women in these senior roles. This includes collaborating with both our internal and external recruiters to ensure that women are included in the shortlists and longlists of candidates for senior roles; create clear and equitable pathways for promotion to senior roles, ensure that women have equal opportunities to advance to higher-paying roles, provide leadership development programs specifically designed to prepare women for senior roles.

Our ongoing inclusion policies

Our ongoing inclusion policies are designed to help narrow the gender pay gap. These policies include:

• Parental Leave Policy: Our best practice parental leave policy allows all parents, regardless of gender, to take up to 26 weeks of paid leave, eliminating the distinction between primary and secondary carers.
• Superannuation Contributions: We provide employer superannuation contributions on both paid and unpaid parental leave (a total up to 12 months).
• Fertility, Adoption, and Pregnancy Leave: We offer paid leave for attending fertility treatments, adoption processes, surrogacy, and in cases of pregnancy loss.

Employer statement – trust

This statement supplements the gender pay gap data published by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), providing further context on our data and our commitments to closing the gender pay gap.

Commitment to gender equality

At A&O Shearman, we are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where all employees, regardless of gender, have equal opportunities to thrive. Our long-term aim is to close the gender pay gap, ensuring that our compensation practices are fair and transparent. We recognise that achieving gender equality is a continuous journey that requires sustained effort and accountability.

Understanding the difference between gender pay gap and equal pay gap

It is crucial to distinguish between a gender pay gap and an equal pay gap. At A&O Shearman, we ensure that our employees receive equal pay for performing the same role at the same performance level, irrespective of gender. As part of our annual remuneration process, we meticulously review our data to confirm gender pay parity for comparable roles. Additionally, we consistently evaluate our review process and bonus plan to minimise gender bias at every stage.

Our gender composition and the pay quartile

During the reporting period, we had 67 female employees and 14 male employees, with 83% representation of female and 17% male. A disproportionate gender composition leads to a concentration of women in all levels of quartiles, driving a gender pay gap in favour of women.

Our gender pay gap industry comparison

According to WGEA's Benchmarking Report, our average total remuneration is -14.1% in favour of women, while the broader comparison group is 22% in favour of men.

Closing the gap

The primary factor contributing to the gender pay gap is the gender segregation in roles, with a higher proportion of women in administrative and operational positions compared to men. For instance, within some cohorts, 100% of legal secretaries are female. It is important to recognise that this trend is prevalent across the industry. Historically, legal secretarial roles have been predominantly occupied by women.

To address this imbalance, we are committed to increasing the number of men in these roles. This includes collaborating with both our internal and external recruiters to ensure that men are included in the shortlists and longlists of candidates.

Our ongoing inclusion policies

Our ongoing inclusion policies are designed to help narrow the gender pay gap. These policies include:

• Parental Leave Policy: Our best practice parental leave policy allows all parents, regardless of gender, to take up to 26 weeks of paid leave, eliminating the distinction between primary and secondary carers.
• Superannuation Contributions: We provide employer superannuation contributions on both paid and unpaid parental leave (a total up to 12 months).
• Fertility, Adoption, and Pregnancy Leave: We offer paid leave for attending fertility treatments, adoption processes, surrogacy, and in cases of pregnancy loss.