Fair Work Action Plan: indicator report 2025

Executive summary

The Fair Work Evidence Plan set out a monitoring framework for the Fair Work Action Plan, based around the broad outcomes articulated in the Action Plan. This report sets out the most recent data available framework’s indicators, which are used to monitor progress towards the outcomes set out in the Fair Work Action Plan.

This is the first consolidated publication of data for these indicators. An earlier version of the data were shared with the Fair Work Oversight Group in their meeting in December 2024.

The Fair Work outcome measurement framework

The Fair Work Action Plan contained a range of actions intended to support delivery of the Scottish Government’s Fair Work objectives. Progress towards these objectives is monitored through the measurement framework outlined in the Fair Work Evidence Plan.

As there are several outcomes articulated in the Fair Work Action Plan, there is not a single measure that captures the different aspects of Fair Work. This means that groups of indicators are used to monitor progress in these areas.

Indicators may have a direct impact on a Fair Work outcome (‘attributional’ indicators) or be seen to make a positive contribution towards Fair Work aspirations.

Advice on the indicators

There are a few key points that need to be considered when examining the indicators presented in this report, primarily that:

• Individual indicators outlined in this report should not be viewed in isolation but in conjunction with others for that outcome. When viewed in isolation, an indicator may not fully capture all dimensions of that outcome.
• Time lags, both in terms of data reporting and policy impact, mean that the time periods presented for each indicator varies. Some data presented covers only the early period of the Fair Work Action Plan.
• This report draws on publicly available information.
• Trends in indicators will also be influenced by the wider economic context. These will have impacted Fair Work activities in recent years both in terms of how activities have been delivered as well as the outcomes achieved.

Data availability for the medium term outcome indicators is currently hampered by a number of factors including time lags and data quality issues particularly in relation to data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) Annual Population Survey (APS). Alternative sources have been included where possible.

Structure of the report

Data are provided against indicators for each of the following outcomes, which were articulated in the Fair Work Action Plan:

• Fair Work is embedded in the public sector
• Fair Work is embedded in public sector financial support
• Employers are supported to offer Fair Work
• People are supported to prepare for, access and sustain Fair Work

Fair Work is embedded in the public sector

• The Scottish Government continues to provide significant employment opportunities for women, with the proportion of women at senior levels increasing over time and accounting for a larger proportion of Senior Civil Servants in 2024.
• There has been some positive change in the proportional makeup of Scottish Government workforce, both for disabled people and people from racialised minorities.
• The mean pay gaps for disabled people and people from minority ethnic groups employed by the Scottish Government have reduced between 2022 and 2024, though median pay gaps have been more variable. The mean gender pay gap reduced between 2022 and 2024 while the median gender pay gap remained flat.
• Universities and colleges continue to provide significant employment opportunities for women. Data suggests positive improvements in employment opportunities for both disabled people and people from minority ethnic groups.
• Women currently make up a large proportion of public sector employment. However, the composition across different public sector bodies varies depending on the organisation and role.

Fair Work is embedded in the public sector financial support

• The proportion of regulated contracts awarded by public bodies that contain a scored Fair Work First criterion increased from 25% in 2019/20 to 41% in 2022/23.
• 95% of suppliers with a live SG contract have committed to pay the real Living Wage.
• Partial data is available on grants awarded with Fair Work First criteria, following survey data gathered by the Scottish Government covering 2024/25. This does not present a complete picture of all grants awarded.

Employers are supported to offer Fair Work

• In each of the last four years, at least 450 employers in Scotland gained real Living Wage accreditation. The Construction sector has the highest number of accredited employers.
• Living Hour accreditation is increasing each year but from a small base.
• Most employees aged 18+ in Scotland earn the real Living Wage or above.

People are supported to prepare for, access and sustain Fair Work

• The gender pay gap in Scotland for full-time employees has been narrowing over time. Data on pay gaps by ethnicity and disability is currently not available.
• The disability employment gap has reduced over time. The trend is less clear for the minority ethnic employment gap due to greater variability in the estimates.
• The proportion of females, minority ethnic people and disabled people being supported through No One Left Behind has increased over time.
• Entering employment is the most common progression outcome for females, minority ethnic people and disabled people supported through No One Left Behind, but lower proportions have entered employment rather than their comparator groups (men, white people and people who are non-disabled respectively).
• Employment outcomes for Fair Start Scotland highlighted that higher proportions of minority ethnic participants secured a job start than white participants and higher proportions sustained employment. Similar proportions of male and female participants secured a job, but larger proportions of females sustained employment. Lower proportions of disabled participants secured a job and sustained employment than participants who are non-disabled.