We have announced the second generation of Equal Pay Champion certificate holders!
Last year, 16 companies received the Equal Pay Champion certificate, marking a key step toward achieving equal pay for equal work across workplaces in Croatia. This year, there has been a significant increase in the number of certificate holders, indicating that more organizations are now willing to examine their pay structures to ensure that their employees have the right to equal pay for equal work.
22 companies recognized as leaders on the long journey toward reducing the gender pay gap are: A1 Hrvatska, Addiko Hrvatska, Atlantic Grupa, CEMEX Croatia, Coca-Cola HBC Croatia, Fresenius Kabi, Generali osiguranje, HEINEKEN Croatia, Croatian Telecom, JGL, JT International Zagreb, Kaufland Croatia, KONČAR, METRO Cash & Carry, Nestlé Adriatic, Nexe, Nova TV, PLIVA, Podravka, Porsche Croatia, Privredna banka Zagreb and Sandoz.
Significant progress compared to the last year
The Equal Pay Champion certificate is open for applications from all companies, regardless of their size or industry. The goal of the certificate is to recognize organizations that are pioneers in achieving gender equality and to encourage others to implement positive changes in their internal policies.
All companies that participated in this year’s Equal Pay Champion certification process demonstrated significant progress compared to last year’s certification. They have improved their readiness for the implementation of EU Directives and the development of fairer pay systems. Employers who had already established annual gender pay gap reviews have, over the past year, expanded and deepened their analyses. They have taken steps to close existing pay gaps and prevent future disparities from arising.
Equal Pay Champion holders aim to build a culture that encourages employee development, regardless of gender or other irrelevant criterion. During the certification process, SELECTIO HR experts had the opportunity to assess the quality of initiatives that lead to a more balanced gender representation in senior and executive positions in the long term. Some of these initiatives include educational programs, the promotion of certain professions, and employee development through leadership and mentorship programs, such as Equal Play Mentorship, an inter-organizational mentoring and development program for women.
Croatia still lags the EU average
The SELECTIO Index, which has been measuring the percentage of women in the boards of companies listed in the CROBEX index for 20 years, stands at 22.5% this year. In comparison, the representation of women on the boards of the top 100 companies on the London Stock Exchange is 43.4% (The Female FTSE Board Report). According to a new EU Directive, this share should be at least 33%.
In terms of pay, Croatia is close to the EU average, where women earn 13% less per hour than men. The reasons for the gender pay gap are complex and multifaceted, prompting the European Union to introduce a directive aimed at reducing the gap to 5% or less.
The implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive will bring major changes starting in June 2026. The implementation, among other, means that salary secrecy clauses will no longer be valid because job advertisements will be required to include details about starting salaries or salary ranges. Employers must develop more precise and unbiased job classification systems and communicate salary ranges with candidates during job interviews. Employers will no longer be allowed to ask candidates about their previous salaries. Data on gross wages and hourly pay for all job positions must be publicly available in written form, enabling the assessment of employee wages based on objective, gender-neutral criteria such as skills and responsibilities. Employers with more than 50 employees will be required to provide detailed information on salary bands and criteria for pay increases to their employees.
The companies awarded the Equal Pay Champion certificate have demonstrated their readiness for these upcoming changes. However, most organizations in Croatia are still not sufficiently familiar with the EU Directives. The process of identifying and closing pay gaps is long-term and requires thorough preparation. Companies need to secure resources in time, define clear strategies, and establish systematic monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
If you want to be ready for the implementation of EU Directives, empower your female employees, or improve transparency in your pay system, get in touch with us!
