Each year, organisations with more than 250 employees are required to report their gender pay gap data. The gender pay gap is the difference between the average earning of men and women. This is the seventh year that RIBA has reported gender pay gap data.
For the third time, we are also publishing our ethnicity pay gap data. For this report, we categorise ethnicity as Black, Asian and ethnic minority, or white. We recognise the limitations and challenges of these categories, however, this reflects the data we hold and the requirements of presenting the data in a standardised way. Our approach to collecting and reporting data will improve over time, but it is important that we publish this data even with these existing limitations. The ethnicity pay gap is the difference between the average earnings of Black, Asian and ethnic minority employees and white employees.
Insights from both sets of data enable us to develop targeted actions to improve gender and ethnicity representation and equity across our organisation.
Our 2024 gender and ethnicity pay gap data can be found below. This snapshot was taken on 5 April 2024, when RIBA employed 238 people.
Gender pay data
- median gender pay gap: 6.29% - down from 9.27% the previous year
- mean gender pay gap: 13.81% - up from 10.78% the previous year
- proportion of men in the organisation receiving a bonus payment: 2.42% - down from 5.26% the previous year
- proportion of women in the organisation receiving a bonus payment: 0.00%
- mean bonus gender pay gap: 100%
- median bonus gender pay gap: 100%
Proportion of females and males at each salary quartile
| Quartile | Female | Male |
| Upper | 53.43% | 46.57% |
| Upper middle | 65.32% | 34.68% |
| Lower middle | 73.06% | 26.94% |
| Lower | 70.44% | 29.56% |
| Total workforce | Female | Male |
| 65.39% | 34.61% |
Ethnicity pay data
- median ethnicity pay gap: 10.45% - up from 6% the previous year
- mean ethnicity pay gap: 9.48% - down from 10.02% the previous year
- proportion of white people in the organisation receiving a bonus payment: 1.10% - down from 1.6% the previous year
- proportion of Black, Asian and ethnic minority people in the organisation receiving a bonus payment: 0% - down from 3.85% the previous year
- mean bonus ethnicity pay gap: 100% - up from 40.24% the previous year
- median bonus ethnicity pay gap: 100% - up from 40.90% the previous year
Proportion of white and Black, Asian and ethnic minority people at each salary quartile
| Quartile | White | Black, Asian, and ethnic minority | Not reportable |
| Upper | 82.03% | 16.34% | 1.63% |
| Upper middle | 72.38% | 23.57% | 5.05% |
| Lower middle | 85.24% | 14.02% | 0.74% |
| Lower | 67.92% | 32.08% | 0% |
| Total workforce | White | Black, Asian, and ethnic minority | Not reportable |
| 76.34% | 21.81% | 1.85% |
RIBA Chief Executive Dr Valerie Vaughan-Dick MBE said:
“This data provides a snapshot of the organisation one year ago, on 5 April 2024. It shows mixed progress on our gender pay gap but a disappointing increase in ethnicity pay gap. This data is an important tool in continuing to focus our work on eradicating these gaps over time.
In 2024, Our workforce remained mainly (65.39%) female. Women made up the majority of roles in each salary quartile. However, they are overrepresented in the lower and lower middle quartiles. Our upper quartile is 53.43% female compared to 46.57% male, compared to 73.06% and 70.44% in our lower middle and lower quartiles. The reduction of men in the lower middle salary quartile (from 27 men in 2023 down to 15 in 2024) is reflected in the increased mean gender pay gap.
In 2024, our mean ethnicity pay gap was 9.48% - down from 10.02% the previous year. Our median ethnicity pay gap was 10.45% - an increase from 6% in 2023. We saw an increase in Black, Asian and ethnic minority colleagues in the three lower quartiles, whilst our upper quartile stayed largely the same (82.03% in 2024 vs 82.26% in 2023).
We have continued to take action in creating a more inclusive environment for our colleagues. In 2024, we delivered on a number of people-oriented projects, guided by our Employee Value Proposition, and underpinned by our EDI strategy.
A pay review was undertaken in 2023, and delivered in January 2024. All colleagues attended Equity, Diversity and Inclusion training, with Inclusive Leadership training delivered to senior staff. Senior leaders attended our Management Development Programme, giving them the tools needed to support and lead colleagues. We have also developed our on-boarding process, so colleagues understand our guiding values and behaviours.
In 2025, we have already launched new HR policies, including enhanced family friendly and leave policies, as guided by our gender equity colleague community Balance. We will continue to roll out our management essentials training for senior colleagues and are aiming to implement a new HR system that includes a recruitment applicant tracking tool to enable more accurate tracking and analysis of data.
We have also launched a microaggressions toolkit for colleagues, which includes guidance and tools to help ensure RIBA is a great place to work. We’ll be rolling out training on this later in 2025.
As I said earlier this year, we firmly believe that a diverse and inclusive organisation is a stronger and more innovative one. EDI is not simply a policy or a tick-box exercise. It's about creating a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their best work. It's about ensuring equal opportunities for all, regardless of background, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. It's about building an organisation that truly reflects the society we serve.
We have made progress in our EDI journey, but we know there is more to do. We will continue to listen to feedback, learn from best practices, and work to create a truly inclusive environment for everyone at RIBA. I’m personally committed to championing EDI at RIBA and making our organisation a truly inclusive and welcoming place for everyone.”
