Gender Pay Gap

About AFI

AFI-Uplift Limited (‘AFI’) is the predominant UK employer in the AFI-Rentals Group, and the only group company with more than 250 employees.

Our group’s success comes not only from our financial performance, but also from recognition of our responsibilities to our teams, the environment and the communities in which we operate.

We are committed to making a positive contribution in these areas; a commitment which includes ensuring that our employees are treated equally, are fairly rewarded, and work in an inclusive, supportive and enjoyable workplace.

 

What Is Gender Pay Gap Reporting?

Under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 (the ‘Regulations’), all organisations with more than 250 employees are required to publish certain information on pay and gender, to improve the transparency of differences in pay between men and women, and ultimately to eradicate gender inequality in society.

As required by the Regulations, the analysis and commentary in this report covers the following six measures:  

  1. The percentage difference in mean hourly pay between male and female employees
  2. The percentage difference in median hourly pay
  3. The percentage difference in the mean bonus paid
  4. The percentage difference in the median bonus paid
  5. The percentage of men and women respectively who received a bonus
  6. The percentage of men and women in each hourly rate of pay quartile, split evenly across the workforce, and reported by lower, lower middle, upper middle, and upper bands.

This report reflects actual data of members of staff employed by AFI on 5th April 2023 (the ‘2023 Snapshot Date’). At this date, the workforce covered by the Regulations consisted of 253 men and 63 women.

As with any business, overall gender pay statistics can be distorted by a disproportionate impact of senior employees such as company directors.  As such, where relevant, we have also presented information with directors excluded.

We recognise that the markets in which AFI operates can often attract greater numbers of male than female employees. Although we are committed to impartial recruitment processes, and we continue to implement training programmes and flexible benefit and wellbeing schemes which attract both male and female employees, there is still more that both AFI and our industry can do.

We will continue to publish our gender pay figures annually but, more importantly, we will continue to seek out opportunities to increase diversity across our workforce.

 

AFI’s Gender Pay Summary

 Gender pay gap charts 2023

 

Review of Gender Pay Data

AFI’s mean pay gap increased from 13.0% in 2022 to 14.0% in 2023.  However, excluding directors, the gap reduced from 4.5% to 4.0% over the same period.

AFI’s median pay gap increased from 9.5% in 2022 to 11.8% in 2023; but when again adjusted to exclude directors, the gap increased only marginally from 9.2% to 9.5%.  AFI’s pay gap continues to track below the national median of 14.3% (Office for National Statistics: Gender Pay Gap in the UK, 2023).

We remain confident that no bias exists in AFI where men and women undertake the same role in the same part of the country. The fact that our data reports a gap, reflects the weighting of gender across different roles within our business.  Specifically, higher-paid roles, particularly those that are site-based such as engineers, plant operators and HGV drivers, are traditionally dominated by male applicants within our industry. We recognise, however, that this is a challenge that both AFI and other businesses operating within the plant hire industry must continue to address. We welcome female applicants for all roles, and we will continue to work hard to make site-based operations more attractive to women, through structured apprenticeships, our inclusive recruitment and employment practices, and by elevating positive female role models across our business.

 

Review of Bonus Pay Data

In the 12 months ended 5th April 2023 approximately 18% of employees received a bonus. During this period, a number of diverse incentive schemes were in place for differing roles, which can act to distort the reported data. Although the median bonus paid to women was 83% lower than that paid to men, the mean bonus was 624% higher for women vs men; and furthermore, the highest bonus paid overall was earned by a woman.

Director’s Statement

We acknowledge that our industry has historically attracted, and still continues to attract, more male than female applicants; and this in turn weights experience levels and therefore pay more towards men.  This is reflected, for example, in our director group where ten out of eleven at the 2023 Snapshot Date were male. This significantly distorts the reported pay gap, but also highlights the opportunity for increasing our diversity.

Although it can take a number of years to correct a historical gender imbalance within any industry, we recognise the important role AFI plays in addressing this.  We remain committed to equal opportunities for employment, reward and progression for all members of our team, regardless of gender.

I confirm that the information within this report is accurate.

Paul Roberts, Group Chief Financial Officer

4th April 2024