Pay Transparency in practice: how staff delegates prepare, analyse and act

The EU Pay Transparency Directive, adopted in June 2023, introduces strict pay transparency reporting requirements for companies operating within the European Union. Businesses will need to comply with new obligations on pay transparency, gender pay gap assessments, and reporting by June 7, 2026.

Pay transparency only delivers its intended impact when staff delegations are active partners in the process. Beyond compliance, it requires trust, dialogue and shared accountability between staff delegations and HR to ensure transparent, evidence-based and fair pay practices. Together, they enable data-driven and sustainable outcomes.

This training equips staff delegations to play their mandated role with confidence. Staff delegates and actors of the social dialogue will gain a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities under the Directive, strengthen constructive collaboration with HR and management, and develop practical skills to actively support and sustain pay transparency implementation.

By the end of this training, participants will:

• understand the EU Pay Transparency Directive’s key requirements and compliance deadlines: pay reporting obligations, salary disclosure rules, and equal pay assessments;
• understand the staff delegation’s role throughout the key moments of the pay transparency journey;
• gain insights on how to engage effectively with HR and management using social dialogue mechanisms and evidence-based approaches to support compliant and fair implementation;
• have an overview of practical tools and resources to effectively fulfil their role under the Pay Transparency Directive.

Introduction to the EU Pay Transparency Directive

• What is the EU Pay Transparency Directive, and why was it introduced?
• The link between equal pay principles and gender equality in the workplace
• Timeline and deadlines for compliance across the EU
• How this directive aligns with other HR ESG reporting obligations (CSRD, DEI initiatives, etc.)

Key regulatory requirements and compliance obligations

• Salary transparency in job postings
• Employee right to request pay information
• Pay gap reporting obligations
• Joint pay assessment requirement
• Prohibition of salary history enquiries

Role of staff delegations

• Partner and agree with HR on the definition of categories of workers performing work of equal value
• Contribute to internal transparency and accompany the employees to exercise their right to pay information
• Actively participate in the joint pay assessments to support, propose and execute corrective measures
• Engage as an informed and proactive partner in consultations related to pay reporting data

Tools, resources and practical next steps

• Practical tools for staff delegates: templates and guiding questions
• Preparing for consultations: how to collaborate effectively with HR and management after the training
• Key takeaways to maintain momentum and support sustainable implementation

This training is coordinated by Vinciane Istace, Partner and Tessy Thill, Director at PwC Luxembourg.

• Vinciane Istace is a partner in the People, Experience and Change service team at PwC Luxembourg with over 30 years of experience. She has led the HR function at PwC, structuring operational capabilities and co-designing the firm’s HR strategy. Currently, she oversees the People and Process Outsourcing practice, providing clients with payroll, immigration, and HR administration support, as well as strategic HR advisory services. Vinciane combines deep HR technical expertise with extensive experience in fostering positive workplace interactions. She is also a diversity and inclusion leader, head of communication and PR, and a regular speaker at conferences, with notable projects including the EIB Gender Strategy Evaluability and university HR transformation initiatives.
• Tessy Thill is a director specialising in human resources management, project management, and change management, with over 15 years of experience focused on the human aspects of change and transformation. She has extensive expertise in supporting organisational, digital, and cultural transformations, having worked 15 years in Belgium as an HR professional and change manager before joining PwC Luxembourg in October 2021. Tessy excels in project design emphasising change management, transformation, HR strategy, and training, and provides consulting on change management and HR topics. Her leadership includes designing people-centered strategies, facilitating workshops, coordinating leadership development programs, and formulating HR organisational recommendations aligned with strategic priorities.