Pay equality is an important area of diversity, inclusion and related gender equality. Women in the European Union have an average salary of 13% less than men. Among the key goals of the European Union’s gender equality strategy is transparency and the related pay equality, which is being worked on through upcoming changes in the law. The Pay Transparency Directive is particularly important because it has been determined that the lack of transparency is one of the key obstacles to closing the gender pay gap, which negatively affects the quality of life of women and consequently leads to poorer health, a greater risk of poverty, and a gender gap in pensions that amounts to an average of 30% in EU countries. From 2026, companies will have to report on pay equality and, in the event of a difference of more than 5%, implement corrective measures in cooperation with workers’ representatives.
Based on a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of equal pay, our detailed analysis determined that in five Croatian companies of different sectors and sizes, men and women are paid equally for jobs of equal value. Cemex, INA, KONČAR D&ST, MICRO-LINK and Poslovna inteligencija implement a responsible salary policy and ensure equal salaries for men and women for jobs of equal value. At the award ceremony, recognition was given to the first winners of the Inc.Q Equal Pay certificate in Croatia, which have already committed themselves to the implementation of this important criterion of gender equality and thus positioned themselves as change leaders who already work above the legal standard and show by example what the future of work will look like, tailored to the expectations of new generations.
“These are organisations that systematically worked to prepare their business for the requirements of sustainable development strategies and related ESG reporting in the area of social and management effects. Along the way, they also passed the MAMFORCE certification, which prepared them for the important area of pay equality. An additional and deeper analysis of salaries and other financial receipts by gender found that they meet the criteria of the Directive with a tolerance of up to 5%, which in these leading companies is even below that,”
said Dianna Descovich, our CEO at the award ceremony.
Companies holding the first Inc.Q Equal Pay certificates in Croatia are committed to creating a fair work environment where pay, performance evaluation and financial rewards are free from subjective evaluations and objectively evaluated by measurable criteria.
“Inc.Q Equal Pay certification is a reflection of our commitment to an inclusive culture centered on fairness and equality, thereby creating a workplace where each individual’s contribution is recognised, respected and fairly rewarded,”
emphasised Lana Janković Darapi, CEO of Micro-link.
Pay equality and gender equality are also significant indicators of responsible corporate governance, which companies in traditionally “male” occupations such as the oil and cement industry and IT are aware of.
“The company KONČAR D&ST is proud to be among the first in Croatia to receive the Inc.Q Equal Pay Certificate, which confirms that our salary system is transparent and that salaries are equal by gender in workplaces of the same value. This further emphasises our commitment to creating an inclusive and diverse work environment where fairness prevails and the contribution of each individual is recognised and acknowledged. At KONČAR D&ST, we consider fairness and equality to be fundamental principles of our organisational culture. This certificate, with serial number 1, is confirmation that our employees are fairly and equally valued for their contributions, regardless of gender.
pointed out Vanja Burul, President of the Management Board of KONČAR D&ST.
“We are extremely pleased to be one of the first companies whose dedication to equal pay has been recognised by an independent certifier. At INA, we believe that equality is very important, and due to the specificity of the industry, we are taking numerous steps to achieve equality in numerous segments, including in the wages of workers. The Inc.Q Equal Pay certificate is an additional confirmation of our commitment, but also an incentive to undertake further efforts in the direction of building an equal working environment, as well as a leading position in the field of corporate management.”
said Marlena Jerković, Director of Talent Attraction and Development at INA.
“It is the task of both society and the business sector to understand what causes inequality of opportunities and to work actively to promote gender equality. At Cemex, we therefore work to ensure equal opportunities for career development for both women and men. We build the salary management system by regular annual adjustment of salary grades to the market, and when raising salaries, we correct any inequalities, taking care of the most needy groups. But in addition to salaries, Cemex provides a number of other material and non-material benefits that complement the financial and non-material well-being of all employees”,
emphasised Mirela Kotarac, HR director at Cemex.
For more than 20 years, Poslovna inteligencija has been contributing to breaking down prejudices about women in the IT industry, and in addition to equal pay, they continuously invest in innovative management policies, thanks to which they have been one of the most desirable employers for many years:
“Poslovna inteligencija is an IT company where an equal number of women and men have been working since its foundation. We are also among the first holders of the MAMFORCE certificate, through the implementation of which we further raised the bar, not only in relation to gender equality, but also in other forms of inclusivity. The Inc.Q Equal Pay certificate is a very valuable recognition because it proves that we live gender equality through a transparent and fair salary system, opportunities for personal growth and development, education and various other benefits that support our colleagues in all phases of their life and professional cycle.”
pointed out Nataša Margetić Lukić, Head of Human Resources in Poslovna inteligencija.
The Inc.Q Equal Pay certificate is awarded by the company Spona Code based on an independent analysis of management policies and salary systems, and scientifically based methodology that determines the transparency of the salary system, financial rewards and other forms of employee compensation and rewards.
The certificate confirms that the organisational system transparently categorises salaries by salary grades and positions with a clear system of annual awards in accordance with objectively agreed distributions between departments and individuals, with a performance evaluation that fairly and impartially recognises the contribution of each individual and ensures equal pay for work of equal value.
Organisations that, in accordance with the Directive, ensure equal pay for work of equal value with a tolerance of an explainable difference of up to 5% are awarded the Inc.Q Equal Pay certificate, while organisations above the permitted threshold agree and implement an adjustment plan to ensure equal pay and be ready for the upcoming legal changes.
