{"url":"https://www.ft.com/content/d9890c7f-bd24-402b-a78a-eb8b799703b9","title":"UK gender pay gap widens at Clifford Chance and McKinsey","domain":"ft.com","imageUrl":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/5673478/pexels-photo-5673478.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&h=650&w=940","category":"Other","language":"en","slug":"a19068d2","id":"a19068d2-a3bb-4232-9db6-509f97059da3","description":"Clifford Chance and McKinsey report widening UK gender pay gaps in latest filings.","summary":"## TL;DR\n- **Clifford Chance** and **McKinsey** report widening UK gender pay gaps in latest filings.\n- **Clifford Chance** median hourly gap rose to **38.1%**; **McKinsey** mean hourly to **23.5%**.\n- Highlights stalled diversity progress in elite professional services amid mandatory reporting.\n\n## The story at a glance\n**Clifford Chance** and **McKinsey** disclosed increased gender pay gaps in UK operations for the year ending **March 2025**, bucking the national narrowing trend. The **Financial Times** reports these elite firms among those seeing disparities grow, driven by fewer women in top roles despite diversity efforts. Annual UK gender pay reporting, mandatory since 2017 for firms over 250 employees, spotlights such reversals.\n\n## Key moments & milestones\n- 2017: UK mandates gender pay gap reporting for large employers.\n- 2024: **Clifford Chance** median hourly gap at **33%**; **McKinsey** mean hourly at **22.8%**.\n- **March 2025**: Snapshot data shows **Clifford Chance** median rises to **38.1%** (+**5.1** points); **McKinsey** mean to **23.5%** (+**0.7** points), median to **12.6%** (+**3%**).\n- **March 2026**: Firms publish reports; **Clifford Chance** notes mean hourly fell to **18.2%**.\n\n## Signature highlights\n- **Clifford Chance** (employees only): Mean hourly gap **18.2%** (down from **19.8%**); median **38.1%** (up from **33%**); women **54.4%** upper quartile (up **0.7%**).\n- **McKinsey** (all UK staff incl. partners): Mean hourly **23.5%** (up **0.7%**); median hourly **12.6%** (up **3%**).\n- Gaps reflect structure: Men dominate senior roles; women overrepresented in support (e.g., **Clifford Chance** practice assistants **100%** female).\n- **Clifford Chance** overall (incl. partners/subsidiaries): Mean **55.3%**, median **38.6%**; partner median **27.3%**.\n- Both firms voluntarily report beyond statutory requirements, including ethnicity/disability gaps.\n\n## Key quotes\n- None identified in available coverage.\n\n## Why it matters\nRising gaps at top firms signal persistent barriers to women in senior positions despite transparency laws. Employees and clients may question talent pipelines and equity in high-stakes sectors like law and consulting. Watch 2026 reports and diversity targets for reversal signs.[[1]](https://www.cliffordchance.com/content/dam/cliffordchance/About_us/responsible-business/2026/uk-pay-gap-report-2025-march-26.pdf)[[2]](https://www.mckinsey.com/uk/our-people/uk-gender-pay-gap-report-2025)","hashtags":["#genderpaygap","#uk","#cliffordchance","#mckinsey","#law","#consulting"],"viewCount":3,"publishedAt":"2026-04-04T16:56:23.373Z"}