The gender pay gap describes the average difference in pay between women and men across the labour market. It reflects structural inequalities such as occupational segregation, unequal care responsibilities, and barriers to career progression, and has far-reaching economic and social consequences. Closing the gender pay gap is not only a matter of fairness and competitiveness, but also a human rights responsibility, closely linked to gender equality and decent work (SDGs 5 and 8).

The average gender pay gap in the EU stands at 12% in 2023 and has changed minimally over the last decade. 

The EU Transparency Directive responds to the persistent pay differences between women and men. Being in force since June 2003, it must be transposed into national law in June 2026. It aims to tackle the gender pay gap and promote fair practices by increasing transparency and accountability. For many companies in the EU, the new legislation will entail substantial adjustments, including greater transparency on salaries, career progression pathways and pay ranges in job advertisements.
Austria has one of the highest unadjusted gender pay gaps in the EU, recorded at 18.3% in 2023. On the other side, Iceland’s unadjusted gender pay gap decreased over the last years, standing at 9.3% in the same year. 

This webinar provides a platform for learning and exchange based on the experiences of Austrian and Icelandic companies, and is open to everyone interested. It focuses on practical, company-level experiences with calculating and addressing the Gender Pay Gap (GPG), highlighting both challenges and business benefits. By bringing together companies from two different regulatory and cultural contexts, the event aims to identify transferable practices and generate actionable insights for businesses and policy-makers.

10:00 – 10:15 Uhr     Introduction & Context Setting 
                                     Welcome and opening remarks 
                                     Objectives & exptected outcomes 
                                     Setting the scene: How does the UN Global Compact adress the topic Gender Equality,
                                     with a focus on equal value for equal work?
                                     Gender Pay Gap on focus
10:15 – 10:45 Uhr    Company Case Studies from Austria & Iceland: From Measurement to Impact
                                     Companies tba
10:45 – 11:00 Uhr     Moderated Exchange & Sharing Session
                                     Reflections from speakers and plenary 
                                     Q&A Session
                                     Takeaways and next steps

The webinar is aimed at ESG and HR managers and decision-makers. It is free of charge for participants in the UN Global Compact and interested companies.