Lidl Ireland achieves 0% median gender pay gap
Lidl Ireland has halved the national average gender pay gap, reducing its mean gap to 5.2%
Print2 January 2025
Lidl Ireland has reported a 5.2% mean gender pay gap – almost half of the average pay gap in Ireland of 9.6%* – and achieved a 0% median gender pay gap for the first time.
The retailer has consistently reported positive trends with its mean pay gap decreasing from 7.9% in 2022 to 5.2% in 2024 and its median pay gap decreasing year-on-year from 4.1% in 2022 to 0% in 2024.
Gender pay gap
Gender pay gap is the difference between the average hourly pay rate of male and female employees. Lidl has a gender-neutral pay policy, meaning men and women are paid the same rate at the same levels in hourly and salaried roles.
The remaining gender pay gap is attributable to a greater proportion of males than females in senior roles in the business.
Lidl has made significant progress in the progression of female talent into key leadership roles in recent years.
Having decreased its mean gap by a staggering 34% in just two years, the retailer has committed to tangible actions to eliminate its mean gender pay gap.
Initiatives include its award-winning Leadership Academy, talent forums to reduce risk of gender bias and the roll out of female focused HR policies developed to support women in every stage of life including menopause supports, compassionate leave for miscarriage and early pregnancy loss and the Lupilu family leave programme designed to support those looking to start a family while also achieving their potential.
LEAD Network Ireland Chapter
Lidl is also a founding member of LEAD Network Ireland Chapter (Leading Executives Advancing Diversity). LEAD Network’s goal is to attract, retain and advance women in the retail and consumer goods industry through education, leadership and male allyship and offer a wide variety of resources, events and best practise case studies developed by members for members.
“We are pleased to see a reduction once again this year in our mean gender pay gap dropping from 7% to 5.2%, almost half of the average gender pay gap in Ireland,” said Maeve McCleane, chief people officer & board executive, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland.
McCleane strongly believes in the positive impact that a zero gender pay gap can have, not only on Lidl’s own colleagues, but Ireland’s society and economy.
“By tapping into wider talent pools across genders, we will ensure a multiplicity of opinions and approaches, develop enhanced teamwork, ensure we retain both our female and male colleagues and that genders across our workforce are reflective of our broad and diverse customer base,” noted McCleane.
Stepping stones
Lidl Ireland has been laying the foundation to lower its gender pay gap for many years now and have launched several colleague initiatives to reduce obstacles and provide stepping stones and dissolve barriers for females during every life stage.
These include flexible working policies, talent forums to ensure a fair and transparent approach to appraisals, our Leadership Academy, enhanced maternity leave, compassionate leave, menopause supports and Lupilu family leave programme.
In 2015, Lidl was the first nationwide company in Ireland to commit to paying the Living Wage and has committed to match it ever since.
Lidl is the only retailer to be a certified Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute for a fourth year in a row. The Top Employer accreditation is a globally recognised and highly sought-after certification held by international brands such as Heineken, Puma & PepsiCo.
It showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work, exhibited through excellent HR policies and people practices.
Lidl employs 6,000 people across its 181 stores and three regional distribution centres in Mullingar, Charleville and Newbridge and Dublin Head Office.
Read more: Dublin GAA star Hannah Tyrell opens Lidl Ireland’s new Kilcarbery store
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