Who has revealed?

Reactions to the new requirements have been telling. The homework was set in April 2017, but as of last week there were still more than 6,000 companies who had failed to report. If you were feeling cynical, you might infer they were waiting until the deadline in the hope their big reveal would be lost in a rush of similar statistics.

Of those who published ahead, a handful paid women more (bravo, Evans Cycles and Unilever) but the majority revealed higher male pay. Some of the most shocking differences are in the bonus category. As Sam Smethers, chief executive of the Fawcett Society, puts it: “It’s hard to argue that a 70% or 80% bonus pay gap is justifiable. Women are not 70% or 80% less productive than men; when women ask for bonuses they are seen to be pushy.”

The gaps are the result of myriad deeply ingrained societal norms. There is, of course, pay discrimination. But there’s also the fact women tend to be concentrated in lower-paid roles.

Then there’s occupational segregation: women are often employed in industries that are valued less than male-heavy ones. The mean national pay gap stands at 14% – a figure that hasn’t shifted in three years.

How should companies respond after their gender pay gap is revealed?