Having a diverse and inclusive workforce makes us a stronger, more sustainable business. Developing a workforce that mirrors the communities we serve is key to our long-term success.

We strive to create a work environment in which all employees feel equally valued and are supported to embody our values of Excellence, Integrity and Partnership.

We believe this creates a competitive and commercial advantage by helping us to attract and retain talent, deliver better customer service, foster innovation and create value for all our stakeholders.

We are committed to creating an environment in which the contributions of employees are recognised and valued, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or disability and in which everyone has equal opportunities to develop and progress in their careers.

We are proud to meet and exceed targets of ethnic representation at board level set by The Parker Review. At Board level, ethnic diversity representation stands at 40%, and the gender split is 60% male and 40% female.

Across all our colleagues, ethnic diversity stands at 81%, and overall we have a 72% male and 28% female gender split. This latter statistic partly reflects that our sector has historically been seen as male-orientated. The nature of field maintenance roles can also present risks for women (such as working alone at remote site locations).

We see diversity as essential, desirable and a positive business benefit. We therefore strive to create a diverse, inclusive and open work environment.

Even so, we are determined to bridge the gender gap both inside our Company and more widely in society. In 2022, we launched our 2026 strategy, with the target to reach 30% women across our organisation. We also conducted a diversity and inclusion survey, asking colleagues to share their priorities, feedback and ideas to inform our approach.

Our approach extends beyond our organisation. Our Third Party Code of Conduct sets the standards we expect from our partners and suppliers by encouraging responsible business practices; treating colleagues and partners with respect, dignity and professionalism; and aiming to improve diversity throughout the industry. As part of our community strategy, we aim to support education and digital inclusion, with a focus on women and rural communities.

However, we recognise that there is more to do within our business, our industry and our markets.

For diversity and inclusion data, including Board diversity, see our Annual Report.

Gender pay

Although Helios Towers is not obliged to report gender pay data as it has less than 250 employees in the UK, we are providing this information in the interest of transparency. We analysed the salaries of all Group employees including contractors as at 31 December 2023, as well as bonuses paid in respect of the 2023 financial year, and compared them to the prior year.

While equal pay is about ensuring women and men are paid the same amount for the same job, the gender pay gap represents the difference between the average earnings of male and female colleagues across the workforce, expressed as a percentage of the average male earnings.

We are committed to gender pay equality but we have a gender pay gap. There are currently more men than women in senior positions within the Company. Consequently, average male pay across the entire workforce is higher than average female pay, resulting in a gender pay gap.

Our ambition over time is to reduce the gap across the workforce, where appropriate to do so.

Methodology:

  • The analysis includes all employees and direct contractors as of 31 December during the relevant financial year (2023). Agency contractors and interns are excluded.
  • Salaries are calculated as an hourly wage. Where annual salaries are included in calculations of total pay, part-time employee salaries have been adjusted to a full-time equivalent basis. Salaries are in US$.
  • All permanent employees with at least three months of service are eligible to receive an annual bonus prorated to their time of service during the year and based on Company and individual performance. To facilitate comparability, employees who joined during the financial year have been adjusted to a full-year equivalent basis. Bonuses awarded to part-time employees have been adjusted to a full-time equivalent basis. Contractors who are not eligible to receive an annual bonus have been excluded from the bonus calculations.
  • The gap is calculated using the formula: Gap = [average (male population) - average (female population)] / average (male population)