In focus: Optical employers commit to tackle ongoing gender pay gap

Optical retailers have reported that there is still a gender pay gap despite the pressure of a legal requirement to publish any differences between the pay that men and women receive. This is the second year that UK businesses that employ more than 250 people have been required to report their gender pay gaps to the Government Equalities Office.

These reports, which can be viewed on the government’s website as well as each company’s, have shown there has been a slight decrease in the gender pay gap in some businesses, while other optical employers still have a long way to go.

Public sector organisations were required to submit their data on March 31 and private companies on April 5. Specsavers’ report includes data from its support office network Specsavers Optical Superstores and its manufacturing and distribution site, Vision Labs. It does not include data from its optical stores as each practice is an individually owned business.