The Women Adding Value to the Economy (WAVE) project, led by researchers at Cardiff University, looked at the differences in the way men and women are employed - uneven gender distribution by sector, occupation, grade in workplace hierarchies, contract type (permanent / temporary, fixed term/ casual) and full or part time hours, all of which combine to create gender pay disparities in labour markets.

The researchers felt that if these differences were not addressed they could be replicated within the employment structures of organisations. As part of the WAVE project, three organisations were invited to participate as case studies.

Raymond Ciborowski, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer, Swansea University said: 

“ We were pleased to have been involved as a case study in the project which lasted around 2 years. The University was keen to participate as we recognised the value that the research would provide to support other equality initiatives within the University.

“ Swansea University already ensures that it is compliant with equal pay legislation. The project, did however evidence gender pay gaps because of the uneven distribution of men and women between occupations, contract types, working patterns and in senior positions. The University embarked on a significant change management programme to begin to address these challenging issues, in an attempt to prevent such gender disparities from arising in future generations. 

“The University also recently hosted a seminar on the WAVE project providing an overview of the analysis, an insight into the process and the key themes and considered the next steps on our change journey.”

Dr Alison Parken, WAVE Project Director, at Cardiff University said:

“ We intended that providing an evidence base, showing where and how gendered working patterns were creating inequalities within organisations, would enable employers to act to make change with our support. Swansea University, hasn't just embraced the evidence, it has created a new management team that is embedding creative solutions in workforce planning and development to address these long term structural issues. Their unwavering commitment and dedication is to be commended.” 

• Women Adding Value to the Economy (WAVE) has been created to address workplace and labour market practices, specifically gender earning disparities in employment and self-employment. The aim of the WAVE programme is to contribute to tackling the causes of gender pay gaps in Wales. Its aim is to achieve this through both interrelated and targeted activities, working with employers, employees and self-employed women. WAVE is funded by the Convergence European Social Fund through the Welsh Government. For more information go to http://www.wavewales.co.uk/about-us
  
  
• The findings of the WAVE project have been published on the WAVE Wales website here http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/research/explore/research-units/women-adding-value-to-the-economy-wave