Introduction
Section 78 of the Equality Act 2010, the Equality Act (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017, places particular obligations on Employers to assess and report their gender pay gap.
Its provisions make it obligatory for businesses employing over 250 staff to publish information reporting the differences in pay levels between male and female colleagues. Gender pay reporting is most notably concerned about female representation within certain roles.
The information held in this report relates to Wynnstay (Agricultural Supplies) Limited and must be published annually and be displayed on the Company website remaining there for a period of 3 years.
Gender Pay Gap Reporting System
The law requires employers to annually report their average and median pay gaps, the proportion of men and women in each quartile of the pay structure, and the gender pay gaps for any bonuses paid during the year. There are six calculations which must be published.
The payroll data extracted includes colleagues who are defined as Relevant and Full Pay Relevant colleagues and their Ordinary Pay (including basic pay, hourly pay, productivity bonuses, and shift pay for example) as at the ‘Snapshot Date’ of 5 April of each year.
Bonuses paid to relevant colleagues are also calculated and based on payments made during the 12 month period up to the ‘Snapshot date’.
2024 Report (5 April 2024 data set)
The data set includes 462 males and 271 females (757 total). The following percentages will be reported to the Government Gender Pay Gap Services Portal:
| Gap | |
|
Hourly Rate – Mean |
19.50% |
| Hourly Rate – Median | 3.70% |
| Bonus Pay – Mean | 63.60% |
| Bonus Pay – Median | 33.30% |
| Male | Female | |
|
Hourly Rate Upper Quartile |
75.60% | 24.40% |
| Hourly Rate Upper Middle Quartile | 51.70% | 48.30% |
| Hourly Rate Lower Middle Quartile | 67.20% | 32.80% |
| Hourly Rate Lower Quartile | 53.60% | 46.40% |
| Proportion of M/F paid bonuses | 93.90% | 91.20% |
The figures in this table have been calculated using the standard methods used in the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017. The table shows our workforce divided into four equally sized groups and the calculations are based on hourly pay.
Narrative
Headlines for 2025
A total 757 colleagues were employed on the ‘pay snapshot’ date, 5 April 2024, with 719 ‘Relevant’ colleagues included for the purpose of calculating Gender Pay statistics.
The headline percentages are primarily and continually driven by the traditional representation of men serving long established positions in agricultural sales, manufacturing, and distribution roles, comprise some 41% of all roles in the data set. Our sales, manufacturing and distribution positions carry working patterns with unsociable hours and pay structures and earnings which include productivity pay elements such as bonuses and overtime. Additionally, Wynnstay boasts an exceptionally low turnover, and the data set gender split is 62% male and 38% female on 5 April 2024 (a slight increase in favour of females since 5 April 2023 and an 8% increase since reporting commenced).
An overall gap reduction is experienced of 5.5% points in mean gap and 18.3% in median gap since the first report was published in 2018. The 2024 data shows that mean hourly rate gap has decreased by 4.5% and the median hour rate gap has decreased by 6.0% during the year.
Management teams ensure the best candidates are selected both internally and externally for all roles including key senior roles. When comparing 2024 data with 2023 data it is noted that the data in the two Upper Quartiles show an increase of female representation of at least 3% percentage points and a significant decrease in the Lower Middle and Lower Quartiles.
Average bonus values have again increased across both genders since the previous report with 92.9% of relevant and full pay colleagues in the data set receiving rewards. The total of our workforce who are females and received an award has increased significantly compared to last years’ report, with the total of males receiving bonus awards also increasing marginally. The mean average bonus gap is down from 67.1% to 63.6%, and the median bonus gap is slightly down from 33.4% to 33.3% compared with the 2023 report. The mean bonus gap has reduced considerably from 74.0% since reports began.
Wynnstay is committed to its diverse workforce and continues to strive towards gender equality. This report aligns with Wynnstay’s efforts in securing and recognising our valuable female colleagues, who support our multi sector, multi discipline business model, which traditionally sits within a male dominated industry.
Our Agenda
We are committed to equal opportunities and equal treatment of all colleagues, regardless of sex, race, religion or religious belief, age, marital or civil partnership status, whether you are pregnant or a new parent, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability. We pay equal pay for equal work regardless of any protected characteristic. We carry out regular pay and benefit audits and we are confident that our gender pay gap is not because of any disparity between equal pay, rather that men and women work in different roles and these roles attract different salaries.
The mean gender pay gap for the whole economy in 2024 was 13.1% , compared to the Company’s gap of 19.5%. The Company acknowledges that this needs further improvement but notes that it does compare to other organisations within our industry and sector of similar structure. The compilation of the Company’s workforce is reflective of the UK economy in that men are more likely than women to be in senior roles, technical or IT related roles and these are paid more highly than other roles at similar levels of seniority. We of course recognise that females traditionally are likely to take career breaks or work part time to allow for caring responsibilities and this directly affects career progression. The Office for National Statistics acknowledges that part time workers are paid less per hour than full time colleagues and that a lower share of men work part time compare with women . The biggest gender pay gap nationally is observed in the occupation group “process plant and machine operatives” and a large proportion of the Company’s roles would fall into this group.
What are we doing to address the gap?
So far we have taken the following steps to promote gender diversity:
- Interrogating data to identify barriers to equal talent acquisition across genders
- Data around promotions, retention data, contract types (part time versus full time), returning workforce after any kind of family leave
- Revision of the careers and family, remote working practices
Wynnstay will continue its ongoing commitment of reducing the current pay gap while deploying various sound management practices in support of fairness and equality through a comprehensive, holistic and bespoke people management and development framework. Additionally, our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy has been communicated across the business.
Responsibility for fair and equitable management practice remains with our management teams however responsibility for governance, audit and control is held by a central People & Culture function which supports management and all colleagues.
Our focus on equality, fair pay, and career opportunity continues as the organisation implements plans that engender a commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workplace through providing equal opportunities, while monitoring and governing decision making relating to pay structure, recruitment, and career progression.
Our action plan, which was devised in 2018 in support of reducing the pay gap, includes the following ongoing strategies:
- Continued strengthening of our recognised People & Culture function which supports and promotes clear, evidence-based decision making specifically with regards to recruitment, resourcing, career opportunity and reward and recognition, while promoting the ethical philosophies, values, and morals of the business
- Encouraging applications for vacancies from an array of backgrounds and experiences, supported by internal training programmes and career development opportunities
- Role criteria and job design assessments on a continuous basis, with a conscious desire to upskill lower paid positions
- Pay review assessments carefully conducted on a continuous basis particularly on those occasions where salary proposals and changes result from market forces as necessary to retain talent
- Carry out systematic exit interviews and assessments to audit employment management practice, and take remedial action where needed
Accuracy Declaration
I confirm that the data and information published in this report is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and has been produced in accordance with the Equality Act (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017.
Samantha Roberts
Group People and Culture Director | Wynnstay (Agricultural Supplies) Ltd
By order of the Board
Claire Williams
Company Secretary | Wynnstay Group Plc
Wynnstay Group Plc
Eagle House
Llansantffraid,
Powys, SY22 6AQ
Previous Reports
Gender Pay Gap Report 2024
Gender Pay Gap Report 2023
Gender Pay Gap Report 2022