The implementation of the equal pay standard ÍST85:2012 was legislated in 2017. Companies and institutions with an average of 25 or more employees annually were required to implement an equal pay system and achieve equal pay certification. The purpose of the law was to prevent gender-based discrimination in wage setting and reduce the gender pay gap.
This study is part of a long-term research project that examines the equal pay standard as a tool to reduce the gender pay gap and investigates whether its implementation is likely to achieve this goal. The main objective of the research is to assess whether the equal pay standard has been successful. In the first part of the study, the research data is based on information from the wage survey of Statistics Iceland, which analyzes the development of the gender pay gap from 2012 to 2020 and compares certified and non-certified companies and institutions. Additionally, qualitative interviews were conducted with certification bodies for the equal pay standard. In the second part of the study, the analysis of Statistics Iceland's wage survey continues, supplemented by twenty interviews with managers working at a diverse range of companies and institutions in terms of operations and size. The purpose of the interviews is to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the certification, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the standard.
The research's value for society lies in increasing understanding of the gender pay gap, both in general and in organizations that have obtained certification, and how the standard can be used as a tool to reduce the wage gap. It is also hoped that the research will help define metrics that could enhance the quality of such comparisons.
Funding
The research received a grant from the Gender Equality Fund in 2020.
