How pharma, medtech and diagnostics sectors stack up in new gender pay gap report

Newly released gender pay gap data exposes the state of workplace equality for over 5.9 million Australians. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has now expanded its reporting to cover 10,500 employers in the private and public sectors.

WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said the transparency initiative is driving behavioural change after a period of stalled momentum.

“Many employers have told us publishing their information has helped them prioritise fairness and equality and led to deeper engagement from the C-Suite and Board,” said Wooldridge.

The goal for employers is to maintain both average and median* total remuneration gender pay gaps within a target band of -5% to +5%. This year, 22.5% of employers achieved an average total remuneration gender pay gap within the target range, a 1.1 percentage point improvement on 2023–24. It is incremental progress, but progress nonetheless.

“Results since 2024 show more employers now analyse how managers recruit employees, decide their pay and performance bonuses and determine promotions. Many are also looking past composition and pay to examine women and men’s different experiences of access to parental leave, flexible working arrangements or safety in the workplace,” Wooldridge explained.

Several companies in the pharma, medtech and diagnostics sectors have delivered noteworthy results this reporting cycle, including Takeda, GE Healthcare, Eli Lilly, Merck, Roche Diagnostics and AstraZeneca.

Takeda reported a median total remuneration gender pay gap of 2.7%, placing it comfortably within WGEA’s target range and marking a substantial improvement from 6.8% in 2023–24.

“We’re very proud of this outcome and the progress it represents,” said David Pearce, General Manager of Oceania at Takeda Pharmaceuticals. “In line with Takeda’s values of fairness, we are continually looking for ways to contribute to closing the gender pay gap for our employees and to progress this important issue for all Australians. While this is an encouraging milestone, we remain committed to ongoing improvement and to building a fair and inclusive workplace for everyone.”

GE HealthCare achieved a significant milestone, with both its median (2.3%) and average (4.3%) total remuneration gender pay gaps falling within the target range

Leon Berkovich, CEO of GE HealthCare ANZ, told Health Industry Hub, “We are proud of what we’ve achieved in reducing our gender pay gap in 2024-25, which is a result of deliberate actions we’ve taken to continue improving gender equality within our business. We’ve achieved this through gender pay gap analysis, reviewing pay and promotions and using gender balanced recruitment processes and procedures. We are committed to maintaining the momentum of our actions to see further improvements in our business and for our people.”

At Eli Lilly, the median total remuneration gender pay gap stands at -0.7%, well within the WGEA target band. Notably, the company recorded an average total remuneration gender pay gap of -6.1% in favour of women.

Dee Gunasekara, Director – HR Lead at Lilly Australia & New Zealand, said “We believe everyone brings unique value through their different backgrounds, perspectives, experiences and ideas. Our WGEA results reflect our ongoing focus on fairness, accountability and evidence‑based action on compensation. WGEA reporting reinforces that equity is not a one‑time result, but a continuous commitment, and we remain focused on understanding our data, taking action where needed, and ensuring every employee feels welcomed, respected, valued and heard.”

Merck Healthcare reported a median total remuneration gap of 2.1%, while Merck Life Science recorded -1.5%, both within target parameters.

“Belonging and Inclusion is a critical priority for Merck. We recognise that advancing gender equality is not only the right thing to do, but also strengthens our organisation through diverse perspectives, inclusive decision-making, and improved performance,” Damien Renaut, HR Director ANZ & SEA Countries at Merck told Health Industry Hub. “We are proud of the gender-neutral policies and benefits we offer to support belonging and inclusion across our diverse teams at Merck.”

Roche Diagnostics and AstraZeneca also delivered strong results, with both their median and average total remuneration gender pay gaps within the WGEA target range.

Despite visible gains, Wooldridge cautioned against complacency.

“The fact that men are nearly twice as likely as women to be in the highest paid roles and that women still dominate the lowest paid roles should offer a reality check for anyone who thinks Australia has achieved equality in the workplace,” Wooldridge said. “Employers should treat gender equality like their other business goals. Do a detailed analysis to find the issues, create an action plan to address them and set targets to be accountable for ensuring progress happens.”

Discretionary payments, particularly performance bonuses and overtime, remain a major contributor to many employer gender pay gaps, highlighting structural levers that organisations must still address.

The Next Phase: Targets and Accountability

In a world-first initiative, large employers will soon be required to select and commit to achieving three Gender Equality Targets over a three-year period, with demonstrated improvement expected. The introduction of target setting follows a recommendation from the 2021 review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act.

Private sector employers must set their targets during the 2025–26 Gender Equality Reporting period, running from April 1 to May 31, 2026. The Commonwealth public sector will follow, with submissions due between September 1 and October 31, 2026.

As Wooldridge highlighted, the ambition goes beyond reporting metrics.

“Women and men want a fair and equal opportunity to use their full range of skills and capabilities, hold the most senior and highest paying roles, feel safe at work and have some flexibility to manage other responsibilities, such as caring, outside of work,” Wooldridge added.

*WGEA prioritises average total remuneration as its most comprehensive measure of pay differences between women and men. However, median figures provide a critical counterbalance, removing distortion from very high earners at CEO and executive level.

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