gender pay gap

In compliance with the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017, YO! is required to report its gender pay gap, detailing the percentage difference in average hourly earnings between male and female employees. This report includes both the mean and median gender pay gaps, as well as the mean and median bonus gaps, and the proportion of male and female employees receiving a bonus.

For the snapshot date of April 2024, YO! has published its Gender Pay Gap results on both its corporate website and the Government portal. The key metrics reported are as follows:

• The mean and median gender pay gap
• The mean and median gender bonus gap
• The proportion of male and female employees receiving a bonus

YO! Gender Pay Gap Overview

YO! is a leading Japanese food business with a workforce rich in diversity, encompassing a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and ethnicities. Promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion at every level—regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity—is a core priority for us.

While we are pleased to report that we have achieved parity between male and female colleagues on a median pay basis, we acknowledge that our mean gender pay gap has widened compared to the previous year. Our evolving workforce structure and role distribution are shaped by a consistent focus on fair, inclusive, and transparent recruitment and progression practices, and we recognise that this increase highlights the need for continued focus and action to close the gap.

To address this, YO! is fully committed to creating and maintaining an equitable and inclusive working environment. Over the past year, we have taken the following steps:

• Completed a comprehensive salary benchmarking project across all job roles, helping ensure our pay structures are competitive, fair, and equitable.
• Enhanced maternity and parental leave pay for a second time.
• Introduced and strengthened progressive workplace policies, including our Menopause Awareness Policy, Menstruation Awareness Policy, and Infertility Awareness Policy.
• Made free menstruation products available across all support team locations, promoting dignity and supporting the wellbeing of our colleagues.
• Promoted a significant number of female colleagues internally across all levels of the business, reflecting our ongoing commitment to developing and supporting talent from within.
• Later this year we plan to introduce a Women in Leadership apprenticeship programme to continue to support the development and progression of female leaders within YO!

We also recognise that not all individuals identify with their legal gender status. As such, we are committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace for all colleagues, irrespective of their gender identity.

At YO!, we remain focused on closing the gender pay gap and continue to take meaningful action to ensure that we are an employer of choice—both for our current team and for future talent.

I can confirm the above is true and accurate. 

Richard Hodgson
Chief Executive Officer
YO!