{
  "id": 1780909,
  "title": "Nifty 50 cos get dismal score on gender pay parity",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/nifty-50-cos-get-dismal-score-on-gender-pay-parity",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-18T18:50:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Economic Times",
    "slug": "the-economic-times",
    "url": "https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/nifty-50-firms-get-dismal-score-on-gender-pay-parity/articleshow/133330932.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The gender pay gap remains a persistent issue for Indian companies, with most Nifty 50 firms failing to achieve gender parity in employee remuneration. An analysis of their annual reports revealed that in five out of six companies, median female employees earned less than their male counterparts in the fiscal year 2026 (FY26). This situation has not improved since last year (FY25) and is even worse than in the previous year (FY24).\n\nOf the companies where men earned more than women on average in FY25, only 38% made progress towards gender parity in FY26, while the rest saw further decline. The analysis is based on gender-wise median remuneration data disclosed by the companies in their annual reports. However, 48 companies reported such data out of the Nifty 50's 50 members, as two companies did not disclose gender-specific information.\n\nWhile median remuneration does not allow for a direct comparison of salaries at the same job level, it serves as the best available measure of the gender pay gap. Saundarya Rajesh, managing director at diversity and inclusion strategy firm Avtar, noted that the new Labour Codes have strengthened legal protections against gender discrimination in wages for equal work. However, she emphasized that the law is only a starting point; companies must take additional steps.\n\nExperts suggest that the gender pay gap exists due to men predominantly holding leadership positions, which command higher salaries, thereby driving up male medians. Women also face minimal representation in senior roles, limiting their access to high-value positions. According to Aon's research based on over 240 companies, women's representation in India Inc. has increased by only 2-3 percentage points annually over the past three years. Women make up only 27% of the workforce, primarily concentrated in junior-level roles.\n\nFurthermore, women are often steered into enabling roles early in their careers, limiting their opportunities for advancement. The Aon Gender and Leadership study revealed that women are underrepresented in core business, revenue-generating, and profit-and-loss roles, often relegated to supportive positions.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}