JBS&G WGEA Statement

JBS&G Gender Pay Gap Statement 2023-24

JBS&G is pleased to report a 4.0% improvement on our Workplace Gender Equality score (down to 14.4%) and to have maintained a better than Industry Comparison Group (ICG) result again in 2023-24.

JBS&G takes seriously our commitment to gender equality in the workplace and has delivered on a number of actions outlined in our 2022-23 statement, including but not limited to:

• Psychological Safety in the Workplace training for all staff (inclusion safety)
• Improved recruitment support for Team Leads and Hiring Managers with a focus on removing unconscious bias and fair gender representation on interview panels
• A comprehensive review of pay structures to ensure fairness and address any discrepancies
• Introduction of a workplace mentoring program
• The introduction of a Workplace Grievance Procedure to more clearly outline complaint resolution pathways (such as sexual harassment)

Organisational context

JBS&G is a Professional Services environmental consultancy with offices around Australia. We specialise in helping our clients with contaminated land and groundwater remediation, assessments and approvals, ecology, bushfire, corporate affairs, ESG and digital and creative services.

This year JBS&G is benchmarked within the Industry Comparison Group (ICG) ‘Management Advice and Related Consulting Services’, for companies with less than 250 employees. At the time of this reporting, there were 248 employees (full time, part time and casual) employed at JBS&G. This is different to the 2022-23 report where JBS&G was captured in the 250-499 employees ICG.

Our workforce has a relatively flat structure, with 46% women and 54% men employed in 2023-24. We were pleased to see the GPG scores for All Managers dropped to 9.8% (from 15.1% the year prior), against an ICG average 17.3%. This change can be attributed to the departure and appointment of key senior managers in the business.

We note our 20-week gender neutral Parental Leave Policy, which provides for significantly higher than the ICG average of 12.0 weeks’ leave. We also note this year’s report highlights the positive uptake of our Gender Neutral Parental Leave Policy, by 80% women and 20% men (compared with 0% men in the ICG).

JBS&G notes that the Gender Composition by Pay Quartile is disproportionate at the Upper Quartile, this is influenced by:

• The gender composition of our company founders
• The number of males who have worked at JBS&G for 15+ years and who have, over that time, benefited from annual salary reviews while also moving into senior positions

What we’re doing to close the gender pay gap

JBS&G has a number of initiatives in place to reduce the gender pay gap and provide for an equal employment and discrimination free workplace. These initiatives include (but are not limited to):

• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Industry-leading Gender Neutral Paid Parental Leave Policy
  • 20 weeks’ paid leave for primary carers (incl super)
  • 10 weeks’ paid leave for secondary carers (incl super)
  • Accrual of superannuation contributions during the period of unpaid parental leave for primary carers for up to 12 months, paid upon return to work

• Our flexible work approach
• Our Vision, Purpose, Goals and Values
• Learning & Development in areas relevant to diverse and inclusive workplaces
• Active consultation and feedback mechanisms

Future commitments

We are pleased to have achieved a 4.0% improvement in our Gender Pay Gap for 2023-24 to 14.4% and a better than industry average result. However, we recognise that to effect true and meaningful change requires concerted effort over the long-term. We are committed to gender equality and to providing a supportive environment where all our employees, regardless of gender, can thrive and achieve success.

On reviewing the 2023-24 WGEA Industry Benchmark Report, JBS&G has identified the following opportunities for 2025:

• Continual review and adjustment of pay structures to ensure fairness and address any discrepancies
• Ongoing staff consultation and feedback on gender equality, inclusion and psychological safety in the workplace
• Ongoing recruitment training for Team Leads and Hiring Managers, with a focus on removing unconscious bias and on ensuring fair gender representation on all interview panels
• Promoting the benefits of careers in environmental consulting to women in environmental science and engineering organisations/university groups
• Explore the potential of internal or external mentoring, learning or collaboration opportunities for women at JBS&G