The blog highlights the persistent ethnicity pay gap in the events industry, showing how ethnically diverse professionals are underpaid and underrepresented in senior roles.
Ethnicity pay gaps remain across the UK events industry.
Ethnically diverse professionals are underrepresented in leadership.
Pay expectations are often lower due to past undervaluation.
Equity requires transparency, accountability, and progression pathways.
While the UK events industry has made strides towards greater inclusivity, our Diversity Report reveals a concerning gap when it comes to ethnicity and salary.
The pay gap between ethnic groups
Ethnically diverse professionals make up 25.1% of the events industry, a figure that is slightly more inclusive than the overall UK workforce. However, when it comes to salary, a clear disparity emerges – White/Caucasian professionals earn an average of £3,408 more than their ethnically diverse colleagues.
Why does this gap exist?
The findings suggest that professionals from ethnically diverse backgrounds may be facing barriers to career progression, salary increases, and access to high-paying roles. Whether it’s due to unconscious bias, fewer networking opportunities, or historical disadvantages, the reality remains: equal work is not always rewarded with equal pay.
Exposing the Pay Gap
The events industry must confront pay disparities that undervalue ethnically diverse professionals at every level of the workforce.
Driving Real Equity
Closing the ethnicity pay gap requires transparency, fair promotion pathways, and accountability from leaders across the industry.
Creating a more inclusive industry
The events sector must take active steps to ensure that ethnically diverse professionals have the same access to career progression and salary increases as their White/Caucasian colleagues. This means:
Implementing fair salary reviews
Non-biased hiring processes
Ensuring a diverse candidate pool
Encouraging pay transparency
Creating mentorship programmes
Ensuring equal opportunities for promotions
By addressing these issues head-on, we can work towards a fairer, more equitable events industry - one where talent is recognised and rewarded equally, regardless of background.
Download the full Live Recruitment Diversity Report here
FAQs
What is the ethnicity pay gap in events?
It refers to the consistent pay disparity between ethnically diverse professionals and their White peers across the events industry.
Why do ethnically diverse professionals earn less?
Historic undervaluation, lower salary expectations, and barriers to progression contribute to persistent pay gaps.
How can the industry address these disparities?
By committing to salary transparency, monitoring pay equity, and supporting diverse talent into senior leadership roles.