Last week, we brought together the renowned HR community, HR directors, and CEOs to present the first Equal Pay Champion certificates in Croatia!
The companies recognized as leaders on the long journey toward reducing the gender pay gap are A1 Hrvatska, Addiko Hrvatska, Atlantic Grupa, Coca-Cola HBC Hrvatska, Fresenius Kabi, HEINEKEN Hrvatska, Hrvatski Telekom, JGL, JT International Zagreb, Kaufland Hrvatska, Nexe, NOVA TV, Podravka d.d., Porsche Croatia, Privredna banka Zagreb i Sandoz.
Equal Pay for Equal Work
The Equal Pay Champion is the first certificate in Croatia guided by the principle of “equal pay for equal work.” The project was launched by the SELECTIO Group to recognize employers committed to achieving equity, fairness, and equality within their organizations. This certificate represents a key step in building transparent pay systems in workplaces across Croatia.
The certification process begins with an assessment of activities aimed at reducing the pay gap. After that, the certification team—comprised of experienced consultants from the SELECTIO Group—proposes steps organizations need to take to comply with the new EU Directives. The focus is actively fostering an inclusive organizational culture that ensures equal opportunities for all.
Certification is conducted annually. First, action plans to reduce the pay gap are evaluated, followed by assessing progress.
Women in managerial positions earn 23% less
The current gender pay gap in Croatia stands at 11,2%, with the largest hourly pay gap in the EU occurring in managerial positions, where women earn 23% less than their male counterparts. Additionally, the SELECTIO Women Index, which has been measuring the share of women in company boards for 20 years, stands at 19,4% in 2024, marking a decline compared to 22,2% in the same period of 2023. Interestingly, there is no state organization in Croatia with women in its management.
“According to recent research, Croatia could increase its GDP by four billion euros annually by 2030 through greater participation of women in leadership roles. Of course, creating equal opportunities for everyone and establishing systems that equally value work is not simple and requires a long-term investment of resources. Measures are needed to encourage and support women to take on managerial roles, alongside targeted investments and a focused approach to ensure organizations guarantee equal pay for equal work. What gives us hope are the positive examples we see in the companies that received the first Equal Pay Champion certificates today. Through their efforts to reduce the pay gap, they demonstrate that they are several steps ahead of the market,” said Lara Šubić Šuša, project manager of Equal Pay Champion.
Closing the pay gap: the role of legislation in achieving gender pay equlity
