NZ Expands Gender Pay Gap Toolkit to Address Ethnicity, Disability Inequities

Minister Grigg thanked the many organisations that helped develop the toolkit and encouraged others to adopt and use the new tools.

New Zealand’s flagship Gender Pay Gap Toolkit, a business-supported resource designed to help employers measure and address pay inequities, has been significantly expanded to include new tools for calculating gender-ethnicity and gender-disability pay gaps. Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says the updated toolkit marks a major step toward creating fairer, more transparent workplaces across the country.

The expanded package also includes new resources tailored specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and a dedicated guide to help young women discuss pay confidently in workplace settings.

A Milestone Moment, but Persistent Gaps Remain

Minister Grigg acknowledged the recent drop in New Zealand’s national gender pay gap—now 5.2 percent, the lowest level since records began. But she stressed that this overall figure does not reflect the deeper and sometimes wider disparities affecting many women.

“We know gender pay gaps are not experienced equally,” she said. “Asian women face a gap of 10.2 percent, wāhine Māori 12 percent, and Pacific women a significantly wider 15.8 percent. Disabled women, when compared to all men, experience a gender pay gap of 14.8 percent.”

These numbers, she said, “remind us that while progress is being made overall, we have a long way to go—especially for the women who continue to face the largest gaps.”

A Toolkit Designed With Business, Not Just For Business

The toolkit, originally launched to help organisations better understand gender pay issues, has been expanded through a partnership between government agencies, employers, community groups and young women.

It represents a unique collaborative effort between New Zealand’s public sector and private sector, reflecting a growing recognition that fair pay practices benefit productivity, workforce retention, and long-term economic wellbeing.

The updated toolkit includes:

• New calculators for gender-ethnicity and gender-disability pay gaps

• Step-by-step guidance on collecting and analysing pay data

• Advice on reporting results transparently and developing action plans

• Information about overlapping barriers, helping employers understand how gender intersects with ethnicity, disability and other factors

• Dedicated SME resources that offer simple, practical steps for smaller businesses

The toolkit’s guidance emphasises clarity and accessibility, ensuring employers of all sizes can make meaningful progress—regardless of their technical capacity or existing HR systems.

Supporting SMEs to Take Action

Recognising that small and medium-sized enterprises often face time, resource and staffing constraints, the Government worked closely with business leaders to create guidance that is practical and achievable for smaller organisations.

This includes templates for basic data collection, tips for navigating incomplete datasets, and advice on starting small but building sustainable long-term strategies.

Minister Grigg says SMEs form the backbone of the New Zealand economy, and their participation is essential: “Fairness shouldn’t depend on whether a business is large or small. With the right tools, every employer can take steps to ensure pay equity.”

Empowering Young Women in the Workforce

The expanded toolkit also features a new pay confidence guide created in collaboration with YWCA Auckland and groups of young women. The resource helps younger workers navigate pay conversations, understand their rights, and develop confidence in discussing salary and career progression.

Minister Grigg acknowledged the contributions of former Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner Dr Karanina Sumeo, who led engagement with communities to better understand the experiences behind ethnicity-based pay gaps.

A Call to Action for All Businesses

Minister Grigg thanked the many organisations that helped develop the toolkit and encouraged others to adopt and use the new tools.

“These businesses are leading the way by voluntarily measuring pay gaps, reporting data, and implementing policies to ensure fairness for all,” she said. “I encourage all employers to access the updated resources and take meaningful steps to measure—and close—their gender pay gaps.”

With the expanded toolkit now available, the Government says the next challenge lies in widespread adoption, ensuring that progress on gender equality continues across all industries and communities.