One of the Highlands’ largest private sector companies, the Global Energy Group (Geg), has emerged as the employer with the biggest gender pay gap in Scotland.
The figure soared to 69% for this year, from 19% in 2018, at Inverness-based Geg, which has operations in Aberdeen and at other Scottish sites.
The group also reported that none of its female staff received bonuses in the past 12
months, while 14% of its male workforce did.
Geg said it is “confident that male and female employees are paid equally for equivalent jobs.”
But it added the main reason for the figures was the “continuing imbalance of male and female co-workers,” across the sectors the business operates in, including oil and gas, engineering, construction and steel fabrication.
The company also said statistics demonstrating such sectors are “traditionally dominated with male workers, leading to an over-representation in specific roles,” were reflected in the make-up of its workforce, where less than 15% are women.
In its gender pay gap report, Geg set out a number of steps it says it is taking to address the issue.
A Geg spokesman said: “The figures are very much reflective of the industry we are in and there is very much an open door policy relating to gender, yet it is still very much male-dominated within the oil and gas marketplace.
“On the bonuses side, this is again reflective of our female staff tending to be the corporate support services dominated positions, which by their nature, do not fall within any bonus structure.
“Global continues to spend considerable sums on internal training across gender to develop the skills of our people to match and meet with our core values. Promotion is always considered on the best person available to do the job, no matter what their gender.”
In its gender pay gap report, published online, Geg outlined steps it is taking to attract a “diverse workforce.”
It said: “We are focused on encouraging the younger generation of male and female students to pursue Stem subjects through our work experience and graduate programmes. We aim to formalise our diversity and inclusion efforts under a company-wide plan and continue to build on our practices in support of this inclusive culture.
“We continue to recruit from a diverse talent pool and consistently strive to ensure recruitment activities support this. We aim to retain and nurture our people by creating opportunities for development through our talent pipeline.”
Last week, Geg’s chairman, Roy MacGregor, voiced fears over a skills gap in the
Highlands as work for the oil and gas industry increases in the area following the recent slump.
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