Creating Pay Equality

Our commitment to fairness, transparency and equal opportunity

As we enter our 23rd year, we continue to evolve a people strategy that supports a thriving, inclusive, and high-performing organisation

We are building a workplace where everyone can thrive and progress on equal footing.

Our latest figures highlight both the progress we’ve made and where we continue to focus our efforts:

50:50 gender split across our organisation
Our mean hourly gender pay gap has fallen from 12.52% to 11.41%
Median bonus gap closed entirely from 14.29% (£250) to 0% (£0.00)

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Doing things differently has always been part of who we are as a business.
Our approach to gender pay is one example of how our values materialise into our DM Offering. We are never complacent; as we continue to grow, we remain focused on ensuring the DM Offering continues to attract exceptional talent from the widest possible pool, and that we retain and develop our outstanding people.

How we met our 2024/25 commitments

Over the past year, Dalcour Maclaren has continued to make meaningful progress towards equity, representation, and fair reward.

A perfectly balanced workforce

We are proud to report an exact 50:50 gender split across our organisation - upholding a strong gender balance for the second consecutive year. This foundation is a critical enabler of long-term pay parity.

Hourly pay gap data

Continued reduction in the mean hourly pay gap

Our mean hourly gender pay gap has narrowed further, falling from 12.52% to 11.41%. In monetary terms, the difference has reduced from £2.95 to £2.74 - a tangible improvement that reflects our focus on fair pay structures and equitable development pathways.

Median pay gap: a small shift explained

Our median pay gap has moved from 2.86% to 3.74%. This reflects a marginal year-on-year change in the composition of senior roles, with a slightly lower proportion of women in the top quartile of earners during the reporting period. This movement is attributable to normal role changes rather than any underlying trends in pay practice. This is evidenced by positive movement in both mean pay and bonus outcomes.

Bonus & flexibility

Exceptional progress on bonus equity

This year marks a significant achievement in our bonus metrics: Mean bonus gap reduced from 21% to 15%, closing by £282.19 Median bonus gap closed entirely from 14.29% (£250) to 0% (£0.00) Despite overall bonus values decreasing across the organisation, the gender distribution of bonuses is now more equitable than ever.

Supporting a flexible & inclusive culture

We continue to strengthen family-friendly and flexible working policies to ensure everyone can balance work and life effectively. Enhanced parental pay, flexible working options, and inclusive benefits remain fundamental to supporting our people - particularly in helping remove structural barriers to progression.

The future

Investment in growth and capability

Our DM Academy once again delivered thousands of hours of professional development this year - equipping our people with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to grow and progress into more senior roles over time. Alongside this, we mapped out a new dual career pathway and continued to refine and strengthen our job families, giving people greater clarity on how they can build their careers in a way that suits their ambitions and strengths. Together, these developments represent sustained investment in our people and are critical to building a strong, diverse, and future ready leadership pipeline.

Commitment to pay transparency

With clear development frameworks and externally benchmarked pay points, we ensure fairness, consistency, and transparency across the organisation. This openness helps build trust and reinforces our commitment to equitable reward. Together, these initiatives reflect a data-driven and people-focused approach to promoting pay equity - one that is embedded in our culture and championed across the business.

A woman with glasses smiling while sitting on a sofa, engaged in conversation with two men. One man is facing her, while the other has his back to the camera, all in a modern office setting with colorful decor.

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I’m genuinely proud of what this report shows. Not because it says “job done” - though we’re getting closer every year - but because it demonstrates real momentum. The aim isn’t simply equal pay in the same roles (that should already be a given), but fair access to progression, influence, and senior opportunity.

Aaron McKenzie

Chief People Officer

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Looking forward, our focus remains on

1.

Achieving further progress on representation in our highest paid roles, ensuring gender balance at all senior levels.
2.

Continuing to refine and calibrate pay and bonus structures to maintain fairness and consistency year on year.
3.

Strengthening career development pathways to support equitable progression across all disciplines.
4.

Embedding pay equity within our broader ESG strategy, reinforcing that fairness and inclusion are strategic imperatives — not just aspirations.