The Gender Pay Gap: evolution and effects on firm performance. An empirical analysis of UK listed firms.

This thesis explores the gender pay gap as a key dimension of workplace inequality. The first part examines its evolution, the regulatory frameworks introduced to promote pay transparency, and the structural barriers that still limit women’s career advancement. The empirical analysis investigates whether the gender pay gap affects firm financial performance in UK listed companies from 2017 to 2024. Firm performance is measured by Return on Sales (ROS), with ROE as a robustness check. The gender pay gap data come from mandatory company disclosures, while controls include size, age, leverage, and market-to-book ratio, with industry and year fixed effects. The study contributes to understanding whether pay inequality is only a social issue or also an economic factor shaping corporate outcomes.