The EQUAL-SALARY Foundation is pleased to announce that UEFA and UEFA Events SA have obtained the EQUAL-SALARY certification, symbol of excellence in terms of equal pay. After successfully passing the statistical analysis of its salaries, UEFA underwent an internal audit entrusted to PwC proving that it applied equal pay for women and men.
« We are extremely pleased to welcome UEFA among our EQUAL-SALARY certified organizations. Equal pay in the world of sports is an ongoing and very topical debate. UEFA is the first organization in the sports sector to be EQUAL-SALARY certified. It makes history and sends us a message of hope for a wider improvement of the situation in this area” commented Noémie Storbeck, co-CEO of the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation.
“As an employer, performing an equal salary audit has been a key milestone in our work on diversity and inclusion. We launched this detailed analysis of our situation back in 2019, to ensure that we really live by our values of respect in the way that we manage our organisation.
UEFA’s strategy outlines the need for all to come together for the future of football. We believe this was a project of great importance, ensuring that all those UEFA staff who work for the good of European football every day can trust that they are treated fairly for their work.
We are proud of our equal pay certification and see this as a great achievement in our consistent efforts to ensure an inclusive workplace of equal opportunities for all” added Theodore Theodoridis, UEFA General Secretary.
Equal pay in practice
While most companies claim to pay women and men the same, the gender pay gap is still close to 23% on a worldwide level, reaching an average of 16.2% in Europe. (source: eurostat June 2018, based on 2016 data).
… and especially in the sports sector:
Gender pay inequality between women and men in sports is a reality that regularly makes the front pages of the world news. It is urgent that sports associations and federations, clubs but also competition organizers take concrete actions to restore this situation. UEFA’s example is a step in the right direction which we hope will soon be followed by many more.
