Pay gap action plans

Since 2023, we have combined our gender pay gap action plan with our diversity and inclusion action plan. This enables us to build and strengthen work to close pay gaps across both areas.

Our action plans aim to:

• close pay gaps
• create fairer workplaces
• improve our diversity and inclusion outcomes.

As an agency, we have made significant progress to address pay gap inequities at Oranga Tamariki.

For 2024/25 reporting, across all groups and roles, gaps include:

• negative gender pay gap of -5.51%, meaning on average women are paid more than men at Oranga Tamariki
  
  
• negative pay gap between Māori and non-Māori people of -1.92%
  
  
• pay gap between Pacific and non-Pacific people of 9.88%.

We continue to work on closing any remaining gaps to ensure equity across all roles through a range of action points noted in the report.

Gender pay gap

We impacted the gender pay gap positively with our new remuneration framework in October 2021.

The framework was designed to:

• emphasise equity in our pay practices
• remove bias in starting salary and progression decisions.

As part of this work, we addressed all identified gender pay gaps in like roles. We also put measures in place to ensure that gaps remain eliminated. This helped us to achieve several actions and milestones.

Ethnic pay gaps

Pacific people compared to non-Pacific people

Last year we supported and launched our first Pacific leadership programme. This helps to support and develop Pacific leadership capability at Oranga Tamariki.

As of 2024, the ethnic pay gap for Pacific People compared to non-Pacific people sits at just under 10%. There is no ethnic pay gap in the Social Worker and Youth Worker groups

To reduce this gap further, we will continue to focus on creating more opportunities to support Pacific people and their careers.

Pacific people make up 12% of those employed at Oranga Tamariki, with about 10% identifying as female and 18% male.

Māori people compared to non-Māori people

In 2024, we continue to report on the negative pay gap between Māori compared to non-Māori people. This year, the negative pay gap has increased to just under -2% between Māori people and non-Māori people.

Data shows that for Māori People there is no ethnic pay gap overall or in the Social Worker and Youth Worker groups.

To maintain this positive change, we continue to support our Māori into leadership and development opportunities.

Māori people make up about 20% of those employed at Oranga Tamariki, with just over 20% identifying as female, and just under 18% as male.

While we have made good progress, it is important to acknowledge that our mahi continues.

There is more work to do to ensure:

• equity applies at all roles within the organisation
• systems and policies are relevant
• we remove and eliminate all bias within recruitment and people practices.

To achieve this, we are taking further steps to support Pacific and Māori peoples. We are also creating a diversity and inclusion strategy.

Meeting our goals through Papa Pounamu

The Papa Pounamu work programme for the wider Public Service spans 5 focus areas.

They have been selected as the most likely to help create fair, diverse and inclusive workplaces that reflect communities we serve.

One focus area is addressing bias. To help meet our goals in this area, we report on our pay gaps and an action plan to address them (Kia Toipoto).

Our diversity and inclusion strategy will lay out our actions to meet this and all other focus areas, which are:

1. Te Urupare i te Mariu | Addressing bias
2. Hautūtanga Kākano Rau | Fostering diverse leadership
3. Te āheinga ā-ahurea | Cultural competence
4. Ngā tūhononga e kōkiritia ana e ngā kaimahi | Employee-led networks.
5. Hautūtanga Ngākau Tuwhera | Inclusive leadership

Read more about our actions related to Papa Pounamu - Diversity and Inclusion and Kia Toipoto - Our Pay gap action plans, in our report for 2024/25. 

More about Papa Pounamu.