EDGE Pay Equity & Transparency
Designed for organisations with 30+ employees, the EDGE Pay Equity & Transparency Certification helps organisations advance transparent and equitable pay practices. Through independent verification by FLOCERT, it provides credible recognition of fair pay commitments and builds trust with regulators, investors, and employees.
Growing regulation for pay equity
Equal pay legislation exists in more than 170 countries, and requirements related to pay transparency and reporting are rapidly expanding across global markets, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Japan, and several US states.
In Europe, the EU Pay Transparency Directive is introducing new obligations for employers, including increased transparency around salary ranges, employee access to pay information, gender pay gap reporting requirements for larger organisations (≥100 employees), and conduct pay assessments if a gender pay gap of 5% or more exists without justification.
Beyond regulatory compliance, organisations face increasing expectations from investors, customers, employees, and business partners to provide evidence of fair and equitable compensation practices.
What is EDGE Pay Equity and Transparency Certification?
The EDGE Pay Equity and Transparency Certification offers organisations a clear, independently verified framework to assess and manage pay equity and transparency proactively.
Aimed at companies with more than 30 employees, this certification supports employers dedicated to implementing measurable, transparent, and fair pay practices. As part of the four main pillars of the broader EDGE Certification® framework, pay equity can now be earned as a standalone certification.
The certification uses four targeted questions to evaluate an organisation's maturity in areas such as pay equity policies and governance, consistent gender pay gap assessments, remediation and accountability measures, and transparent communication about compensation and pay practices. Each question is scored according to the EDGE Standard, and the overall score must surpass the set EDGE threshold.
The EDGE Pay Equity and Transparency Certification process
1. Conduct a pay equity assessment
Complete an EDGE-compliant pay equity analysis using EDGE Empower® Pay Tool or another EDGE-accredited solution. This assessment identifies eligibility and potential areas for improvement. Full methodology details and a list of the EDGE-accredited pay analysis solutions can be found here.
2. Assess the effectiveness of policies and practices to manage pay equity and transparency
Review the policies and practices in place in your organisation against a framework of leading practices to manage pay equity and transparency through effective governance, accountability, and communication.
3. Undergo independent verification with FLOCERT
FLOCERT independently verifies the outcomes of your pay equity assessment and organisational review. The verification process provides objective assurance that certification requirements have been met.
4. Get EDGE Pay Equity and Transparency Certified!
After successfully undergoing the independent audit, you’ll receive the EDGE Pay Equity and Transparency Certification and certification seal from FLOCERT.
5. Monitor and renew
Pay equity is an ongoing commitment. Track pay equity outcomes on an ongoing basis and prepare for renewal at the end of the annual certification cycle.
FLOCERT’s expertise and guidance were invaluable in our journey to EDGE certification. Their deep understanding of our business context, along with their judicious and objective input, played a vital role in ELECTRABEL achieving the EDGE Assess certification for workplace gender equity.
”Gastón Corti
Head of People
Organisation Development, Electrabel
Your business benefits
- Independent third-party verification of pay equity and transparency practices
- A structured framework aligned with evolving pay transparency and reporting expectations
- Greater confidence in pay equity governance and decision-making
- Clear identification of gaps and areas for continuous improvement
- Support for effective risk management and regulatory readiness
- Benchmarking against globally recognised EDGE Standards
- Visible demonstration of accountability and commitment
Why choose FLOCERT as your EDGE certification body
- FLOCERT has been an official EDGE certification body since its founding in 2015 and has 20+ years of experience assessing social, economic, and environmental criteria.
- Global presence with its 7 offices in Germany, Costa Rica, Côte d‘Ivoire, India, South Africa, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
- Serving customers in 120 countries, from global brands to small cooperatives.
- Ranked among Great Place to Work®'s "Best Workplaces in North Rhine-Westphalia 2024".
- People and Plant First verified business that prioritises social and environmental goals.
