AUT releases 2023 Pay Gaps Report
AUT has released its annual gender and ethnic pay gap report that shows improvements in median pay gaps in some areas - and that more work is needed.
Gender pay gaps
The 2023 median gender pay gap has decreased by 1.2% to 9.3%. This remains 0.7% above the NZ-wide median gap of 8.6%.
AUT’s female workforce is continuing to increase, and women now make up 63.7% of the University’s employees. An increase of 2.1% females in the upper pay quartile is attributed to promotions initiatives and hiring processes.
While the median pay gap for female academics has reduced by 1%, it remains at 14.5%. The report notes that this figure is impacted by male staff members being more prevalent at higher academic levels.
There are positive trends in academic promotions, but a lower volume of female applicants for high-ranking roles such as professor remains a challenge. The data in the report highlights the need for targeted strategies in the academic area.
The University’s pay gap median for professional (non-academic) staff has increased but, at 6.7%, remains well below the NZ-wide median.
Ethnicity pay gaps
2023 saw a significant decrease in pay gaps for all the ethnicities measured, though a significant gap still exists for Pacific employees:
- The Māori employee median pay gap was reduced by 4.7% to -1%
- The Pacific employee median pay gap has reduced by 5.9% but remains at 15.7%
- The Asian employee median pay gap has reduced by 1.1% to 6.6%
- The MELAA* employee median pay gap has reduced by 2.1% to 2.2%
Described as a transparent and comprehensive assessment of the current state of pay gaps at the University, the 2023 Pay Gaps Report provides insight into the progress made, challenges faced and areas of focus.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Damon Salesa, noted AUT’s commitment to address disparities.
“Closing the gender and ethnic pay gaps requires a collective effort from all members of our AUT community. We are committed to fostering an environment that promotes fairness, equality, and inclusivity. Through targeted initiatives, policies, and ongoing dialogue, we aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential,” he said.
Current and planned activities to address pay gaps are outlined in the report and include:
- Leadership programmes for females and those from ethnically diverse backgrounds.
- Identifying or creating pathways for Māori, Pacific and women from ethnic backgrounds to progress into leadership positions.
- Gender tick accreditation and the planned use of the Ministry for Women’s ‘Bring Gender In’ tool.
- Software, tools, and training to minimise gender bias in job advertisements, interviewing and recruitment processes.
- Further roll-out of AUT’s Aronui Ora development programme aimed at breathing life into the University’s Te Aronui Te Tiriti framework.
*Middle Eastern, Latin American, and African