Gender Pay Gap Report

STERLING FURNITURE GROUP LIMITED

2023/24 Gender pay gap report.

Gender Pay reporting legislation requires organisations with 250 or more employees to publish statutory calculations each year showing the gap in pay between male and female employees.

At Sterling Furniture Group Ltd, we are dedicated to providing exceptional career opportunities irrespective of gender. Our growth over the past five decades into Scotland’s largest independent furniture and homewares retailer is a testament to our workforce.

An examination of our Gender Pay Gap statistics reveals that while our overall workforce split is fairly evenly split at 48% male, and 52% female, variations exist across different business units and functions.

The majority of our catering and Homestore (retail) staff are female, many of whom work part time, and do not receive bonuses. Conversely, our distribution staff, who are primarily male, receive bonus payments. Roles associated with sales and supporting management have witnessed a shift from being male biased, to being more evenly split between genders, with compensation heavily influenced by commissions and bonuses, typically resulting in higher pay. The Head office and senior management roles exhibit a male bias, with higher pay and potential bonuses.

These factors contribute to an overall Mean Gender Pay Gap of 4.9% and a Median Pay Gap of 6%. Approximately 47% of our staff receive bonuses, with 38% being female and 62% male. These results illustrate an improvement from the 2022/23 Gender Pay Gap report, across all three measures.

Although our pay gap has decreased, our focus remains steadfast. Gender disparities in senior roles, coupled with a concentration of female staff in lower-paid retail and catering positions, primarily account for our Gender Pay Gap.

Efforts to rectify gender pay gaps have intensified over the past six months through management restructuring and resizing projects. These include:

• Previously, individuals aged under 23 received the national minimum wage corresponding to their age bracket. Now, the policy has been revised so that everyone receives the same living wage regardless of age.
• We have examined the pay structure throughout the entire organisation, establishing salary bands that align with each role's duties and level of responsibility. This measure guarantees fair and equitable compensation for all employees.
• We also aim to increase the representation of women in our top 50 leadership positions; to enhance the upper hourly pay quartile and bonus payments in 2024/2025 compared to previous years.

These measures demonstrate our dedication to fair and balanced recruitment, development, and recognition practices, fostering an environment where all employees can excel and be rewarded equitably.

A snapshot of April 2023 is provided below:

When comparing mean (average) bonus pay, women’s bonus pay is 22% lower than men’s.

Who received bonus pay

38% of women

62% of men