Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/338926 
Year of Publication: 
2026
Citation: 
[Journal:] Journal of Population Economics [ISSN:] 1432-1475 [Volume:] 39 [Issue:] 1 [Article No.:] 16 [Publisher:] Springer [Place:] Berlin, Heidelberg [Year:] 2026
Publisher: 
Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Abstract: 
We study how the share of female directors affects company-reported gender pay gaps using linked administrative data. We combine gender pay gap reports with proprietary board-composition data for 8,411 UK firms with at least 250 employees (2017–2021). Our identification uses a Bartik (1991)-style instrumental variable design that exploits regional shifts in female board representation. A one-percentage-point increase in the female director share reduces the gender pay gap by 0.043 percentage points. Moving from the current UK average to board gender parity would close about one-sixth of the reported 9.7% pay gap. The effect operates through three channels. Female directors generate asymmetric wage increases favouring women, improve female representation across pay quartiles, and ensure more equitable allocation of performance-related pay. Effects are concentrated in firms with 250-5,000 employees and are strongest when UK nationals comprise a board majority.
Subjects: 
Board of directors
Women on boards
Gender pay gap
JEL: 
C26
G30
G34
J16
J31
L16
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article
Document Version: 
Published Version

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