Inclusion Lead, Dionne Eldridge, has written a blog exploring why now is the right time for organisations to prepare for ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting and move from compliance to meaningful action.
Many organisations will have recently completed their gender pay gap reporting for this year, published their figures, and understandably may be looking to shift focus away from pay data and action planning for a while.
However, now is actually the best time to build on that momentum.
Mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting is firmly on the horizon, alongside a greater expectation for gender pay gap and menopause action plans. This represents a significant step up from current requirements, bringing new challenges around data quality, disclosure rates, and the expectation not just to report, but to demonstrate action.
What’s changing
The direction of travel is clear: pay gap reporting is set to expand to include ethnicity and disability.
In practice, reporting is expected to closely mirror the existing gender pay gap framework, bringing a more consistent and standardised approach across different characteristics. Organisations will need to report ethnicity and disability pay status, as well as the percentage of employees who have chosen not to share their personal information.
Alongside this, organisations will be expected not only to publish their pay gap figures, but also to set out clear actions to address the underlying causes of any disparities identified.
Why this might be more complex
Firstly, for many organisations, ethnicity and disability data is currently incomplete. While gender data is typically easier to obtain, ethnicity and disability require a higher level of trust and psychological safety to support disclosure. As this information is voluntary, organisations will need to think ahead and actively build a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing personal data. Starting early will help establish a more reliable and meaningful data picture.
Secondly, even where data does exist, it can be difficult to interpret what is driving the gaps and to translate that insight into action. Without careful analysis, there is a risk of focusing on headline figures rather than the underlying structural causes.
Thirdly, employers will need to align reporting categories with recognised frameworks, such as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classifications, to ensure consistency and comparability, while also applying minimum thresholds to maintain anonymity. Getting this balance right is crucial to maintaining trust and confidence in how data is used.
Finally, there is often uncertainty about what “good” action looks like. In reality, this will depend on what the data is showing and the specific barriers within the organisation. Effective responses need to be tailored, evidence-based, and aligned to wider people and inclusion strategies.
Our top tips
- Prepare and plan now – don’t wait for reporting requirements to become mandatory; early action will put you in a stronger position. Pay Gap Readiness–Ethnicity and Disability – Onvero
- Focus on disclosure and data quality – consider how you can build trust with employees to improve voluntary sharing of ethnicity and disability data. Encouraging Employees to Share Diversity Data – Onvero
- Develop your narrative early – think about how you will interpret and explain your data. Pay Gap Equality Action Plans – Onvero
- Identify the support you need – consider where external expertise or internal capability-building may help strengthen your approach and readiness. Pay Gap Action Planning – Onvero
How can we support
Getting pay gap ready depends on having the right foundations in place, alongside a culture that is inclusive, transparent, and encourages employees to feel safe disclosing personal information.
We support organisations through guidance, practical resources, webinars, and consultancy, helping build confidence in the process and providing clarity on what to do next.
Organisations that take this approach now will not only be better prepared to meet future reporting requirements, but will also go beyond compliance by building sustainable frameworks that strengthen both reporting and wider inclusion outcomes.
This blog was written by Dionne Eldridge, Inclusion Lead at Onvero, and posted on 17 April 2026.