New legislation has been passed in EU member states that will come into force in 2026 – the Pay Transparency Directive. Whilst the UK is no longer obligated to adopt this legislation since Brexit, UK businesses may still be affected.
What is the Pay Transparency Directive?
The new directive will require more pay transparency from European Union (EU) companies in terms of their employees, which will allow them to compare salaries and expose existing gender pay gaps.
If there is a gender pay gap of over 5% in the organisation, leaders will be expected to investigate why this has occurred, and to develop an action plan for reducing the gap.
Read further details about what the Pay Transparency Directive entails here.
How will the Pay Transparency Directive affect UK businesses?
UK businesses with operations with at least 100 employees in EU Member States will need to abide by the directive, so it’s important to be aware of the obligations in place.
Other UK-based organisations may be affected if they are in competition for recruiting talent with EU-based organisations – they may need to adopt pay transparency policies in order to recruit and retain employees. This is crucial given the plans for investment and expansion of the UK civil nuclear industry in the coming years.
Read more about how the Directive will affect UK businesses here.
How can organisations prepare for this Directive?
Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear is hosting its Pay Gap Conference in Manchester on Wednesday 10 September 2025.
The theme for IDN’s 2025 Pay Gap Conference is: What. Why. How. The conference provides a platform dedicated to understanding, addressing, and closing pay disparities through data, dialogue, and actionable insights.
Here’s why pay transparency matters:
Equity Drives Excellence: Fair pay attracts and retains top talent, crucial for closing the nuclear skills gap.
Compliance Builds Trust: Regulatory and public expectations demand transparency and accountability.
Inclusion Fuels Innovation: Diverse, equitable teams can perform better. Closing the pay gap is a step toward a more inclusive and innovative workforce.
Read further information about the IDN Pay Gap Conference and book your place here.
About Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear
Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear (IDN) started in 2019 as a LinkedIn group, and due to its popularity, it was incorporated into a non-profit company in December 2021.
We saw the need for a platform to highlight the importance of inclusion, diversity and equity to engage and retain the current workforce as well as to attract the future workforce to keep the nuclear industry in the UK thriving.
IDN champions workplace inclusion, diversity, and equity through research, training, and evidence-based resources. IDN facilitates conversations and advises on strategies to drive meaningful workforce change.
Our research has culminated into two crucial reports for the industry – our inaugural survey report, released in 2024, and most recently our gender pay gap report released earlier in 2025.
Find out more about IDN at https://idnuclear.com/
