Wednesday 25 March, 2026, Reboot, an independent, dataled initiative focused on improving fairness, equity and accountability in the UK workplace - welcomes the UK Government’s intention to introduce mandatory Ethnicity Pay Gap (EPG) reporting through its consultation on mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting: government response - GOV.UK. This is a milestone the organisation has campaigned for over five years
As a longstanding member of the Ethnicity Pay Gap Steering Committee, Reboot has contributed to shaping expectations for a robust, consistent and actionable reporting framework.
This development marks a significant step toward strengthening the UK’s productivity and competitiveness. Business in the Community (BITC) projects that fully harnessing the potential of the UK’s diverse ethnic workforce could add £36 billion to the UK economy by 2051, underlining the economic value of improved workforce participation and progression.
To ensure the reporting regime is effective, Reboot emphasises the need for clear action plans, consistent reporting across all 18 ONS ethnicity categories, and strong accountability mechanisms.
Noreen Biddle Shah, Founder of Reboot, commented: “Mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting is an important milestone for the UK and a significant boost for national competitiveness. It gives employers, policymakers and the wider market the evidence required to improve workforce utilisation, support progression and strengthen longterm economic resilience.
We thank the Government for its commitment to reaching this point. But while this is an important step forward, it is only the start — and the value of this reform will depend entirely on how thoughtfully it is implemented, rather than it becoming a tickbox exercise.”
Mary O’Connor, Chair Axa XL UK, Chair of Hargreaves Landsdowne and Chair of UK TC Group | and Reboot Amabassador, said: “The financial services sector, as a major employer and a cornerstone of the national economy, has a particular role to play. Firms should now begin preparing by improving ethnicity disclosure rates, reviewing career progression and reward systems, and integrating ethnicity data into boardlevel governance and risk management processes.”
Bev Shah, co-CEO of City Hive and Reboot Ambassador, commented: “Reporting is an important foundation, but its impact will depend on how the information is used. Clarity in regulation will be essential to ensure consistent and rigorous implementation. Experience with gender pay gap reporting suggests that transparency creates visibility, but change depends on how that visibility is used.”
Justin Onuekwusi, CIO at St James’s Place and Reboot Ambassador, added: “The financial services industry, given its central economic role, must lead by example and mirror the standards it expects of the wider corporate sector. This is a journey, and many firms are still at the early stages. This should not become an exercise in naming and shaming, but humbly recognising where progress is needed and committing to sustained, measurable improvement over time so that outcomes are meaningful and longlasting.”
Dimple Mistry Senior HR Professional and Reboot Ambassador, said: “You cannot manage what you do not measure. In an industry built on data-driven decisions, mandatory ethnicity reporting is an important data point for HR to be able to identify structural barriers to progression. It’s not just about the moral argument of fairness and equity, it’s also about ensuring the UK remains a competitive, innovative, and transparent for the next generation of talent."
Noreen Biddle Shah, Founder of Reboot, concluded: “The Government has confirmed its intention to legislate for mandatory Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap reporting, but the legislation has not yet been introduced. The next step is the introduction of the Equality (Race & Disability) Bill during 2026. If the Bill passes this year or early next year, the earliest realistic reporting cycle would be 2028.”
We look forward to continuing our dialogue with Government, industry leaders, regulators and investors - ensuring this framework is delivered thoughtfully and fulfils its potential to support better governance, higher productivity and a more resilient UK economy.”
Notes to Editors:
About Reboot
Reboot is an independent, dataled organisation established in 2020 to shine a light on the barriers facing ethnic minorities in the UK workplace, with a particular focus on financial services and FTSE companies. Reboot brings together senior industry leaders, policy specialists and communications experts to expose and dismantle systemic racial inequities through evidencebased research, advocacy and accountability.
Reboot’s mission is to hold organisations to account, shift the narrative on race and equity, and drive longterm, sustainable progress across the UK workforce. Its work includes industryleading race awareness research, thought leadership for policymakers and business leaders, and practical insights that support faster, biasfree decisionmaking. Reboot is widely recognised as a key voice in advancing fairness and equity and has been instrumental in pushing for mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting.