Our policy on pay

ACEVO’s policy on staff remuneration

At ACEVO we believe that professionalism does not conflict with the values that lie at the heart of charities and other civil society organisations. We see good management, good staff and good values as mutually reinforcing. Experience shows that committed, professional civil society employees, with the support of their boards, produce exceptional outcomes for the beneficiaries and causes that they serve.

We also believe good pay means that boards, beneficiaries, supporters and employees agree that it provides value for money. As a small employer with limited resources, it is very important that we use the money we have available for remuneration effectively. We also take into consideration the imperative to retain valued staff within a mission-driven organisation. The process of recruiting new staff costs considerable time and money, and worse, it can divert focus from the organisation’s core aims. High staff turnover can adversely affect our service to members due to a loss of institutional memory and disruption of working arrangements.

When setting and reviewing pay, our board follows the five principles of good pay set out in ACEVO’s Good Pay Guide: transparency, proportionality, performance, recruitment and retention, and process.

How we set our pay

Our salary levels are set based on an assessment of job descriptions and person specifications following a benchmarking process that assesses pay norms associated with that type of post in the sector. Salary ranges at each job level are benchmarked against similar organisations at least every three years. ACEVO’s pay structure is based on market rates for equivalent roles at equivalent-sized organisations.

Staff pay is reviewed annually by the senior management team in relation to individuals’ responsibilities and performance, the external economic environment and financial affordability for ACEVO.

Any cross-organisational cost of living pay increases are approved by ACEVO’s Remuneration Committee, which also regularly reviews the organisation’s pay policy. The committee comprises ACEVO’s treasurer, deputy chair and chair, who also chairs the committee. ACEVO’s board of trustees is responsible for approving the chief executive’s remuneration: recommendations for any pay increase are made by the Remuneration Committee, taking account of the skills and experience required and sector norms for charities of similar size and scope.

Pay equality and Living Wage

ACEVO strives to be an equal opportunity employer. This means our intention is to treat all staff equitably with regards to the terms and conditions of employment offered, including pay. ACEVO is a Living Wage employer.

Gender and ethnicity pay gap

ACEVO aims to be an inclusive and equitable employer. We know that transparency and accountability on pay data and a commitment to closing the gaps is crucial to helping us achieve this. We first published our ethnicity and pay gap data in July 2020 (Download the April 2022 report) and will continue to do so annually.

New staff

New staff will be offered a salary that takes into account the nature of the role, the skills and experience the staff member brings to a role, pay equality and affordability. Jobs will be advertised at a stated salary. When ACEVO makes a job offer the applicant is told what the salary will be. Once they accept the job the understanding is that the applicant has accepted it at the stated salary. As part of ACEVO’s commitment to fair and equal pay ACEVO will not normally negotiate on salary at the point of offer. Salaries can thereafter only be increased in accordance with our policy and procedure.

Our CEO’s pay

In 2021, ACEVO’s chief executive’s salary was £86,700 plus pension benefits of 6%.