WiPA’s Pay and Progression Toolkit
Welcome to our Pay and Progression Toolkit.
The purpose of this toolkit is to help dispel gender-based disparities in the public affairs sector by equipping our members and their employers with the tools they need to address this.
We are developing a series of guides for employees and employers on key issues affecting women’s pay and career progression.
Our Pay Negotiation Guide, published in 2024, supports members in navigating salary discussions, whether stepping into a new role or seeking a promotion. In 2025, we launched our Employer Guide, aimed at helping organisations build more inclusive and transparent workplaces that better support women’s pay, career development and retention across the public affairs sector.
Building on the success of our 2025 Employer Guide and wider campaigning activity, WiPA is developing a third resource focused on parental leave. Our 2026 member survey found that 56% of women in public affairs believe taking maternity leave will mostly harm their career, highlighting that cultural barriers persist even as workplace policies improve. This guide will further strengthen WiPA’s campaigning on pay transparency and progression.
Source: 2026 WiPA member survey
Our 2026 member survey
As a mission led network, we campaign for greater pay and progression transparency, turning member feedback and research insights into practical action to improve the public affairs industry.
Our annual survey, conducted by Opinium, shows where progress has been made and where challenges remain. The 2026 findings reveal that while many employers now offer enhanced maternity benefits, too many women remain unclear about their entitlements. Just over half say their organisation provides more than the statutory minimum, yet maternity leave is still widely perceived as a risk to career progression, with 56% believing it has a mostly negative impact.
Our forthcoming Parental Leave Guide will address these challenges by highlighting the role of strong parental leave policies in supporting and retaining women in public affairs, sharing best practice examples for employers, amplifying WiPA members’ lived experiences and promoting greater transparency across the industry.
WIPA 2026 SURVEY RESPONDENTS ON PARENTAL LEAVE AND IMPACT ON progression
“I feel it could affect my progression opportunities compared to male colleagues at a similar level to me if management knew I was considering having children in the near future.”
“I know for a fact that I wasn’t promoted due to being pregnant. We were talking about my frustration at the lack of promotion opportunities and he said “well, you know you likely would have been earlier this year if it hadn’t been for… you know” and made a gesture towards my stomach.”
“I was passed over for a promotion a few years ago and they subsequently offered the role to an external male candidate who was younger and less qualified than I was.”
Further Resources
Harvard Kennedy School Guides
Women in Public Affairs (WiPA) is a private company limited by guarantee. WiPA does not provide lobbying services and does not represent the interests of third-party clients. All advocacy undertaken by WiPA or its representatives is issue-based and focused solely on advancing WiPA’s mission to promote pay transparency, inclusive recruitment, and fair progression in the public affairs sector. WiPA is a non-partisan organisation and does not endorse or support any political party, candidate, or government official.