{"id":11959,"date":"2026-02-23T10:37:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T09:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open-knowledge.it\/?p=11959"},"modified":"2026-02-23T10:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T09:37:09","slug":"eu-pay-transparency-directive-compliance-requirement-or-lever-for-cultural-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open-knowledge.it\/en\/eu-pay-transparency-directive-compliance-requirement-or-lever-for-cultural-change\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Pay Transparency Directive: compliance requirement or lever for cultural change?"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_section full_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” el_class=”full-width” css=”.vc_custom_1770912157652{background-image: url(https:\/\/www.open-knowledge.it\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Blog-4096×1708-1.png?id=11934) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_row][vc_column width=”5\/6″][vc_column_text]\n

EU Pay Transparency Directive:
\n<\/span><\/h1>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] compliance requirement or lever for cultural change?
\n<\/span><\/span><\/span> \u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”30px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t23 February 2026 \n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/span> 4<\/span> min.<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\t\n\t\t\n\t<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”30px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]The European Pay Transparency Directive is not just a new regulatory obligation, it is a powerful catalyst for organizational transformation<\/strong>, set to impact HR processes, company culture, internal trust, and employer brand positioning.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]Starting from 7 June 2026, European companies will be required to make the criteria for determining pay more transparent<\/strong>, communicate salary ranges during recruitment, provide access to data on average pay for equivalent roles, and report on the gender pay gap<\/em>, with increasing obligations depending on workforce size.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]But the real issue is not the law, it is change.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1771578662655{margin-top: 40px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”]\n

A challenge for change management<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]EU Directive 2023\/970 was introduced to address a still relevant issue, the gender pay gap, which in Europe stands at around 13%<\/strong>. More structured organizations will be required to monitor and report the gender pay gap<\/em> and, in the presence of significant discrepancies above 5%<\/strong>, analyze the causes and implement corrective actions.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]However, the impact of the directive goes far beyond reporting obligations. For many companies that still operate with pay systems developed incrementally over time<\/strong>, often based on implicit criteria, historical exceptions, and logics never fully formalized<\/strong>, this regulation represents a major opportunity for evolution. It will no longer be enough to \u201cbe fair\u201d<\/strong>, organizations will need to demonstrate it through data, clear criteria, and consistent decisions over time.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]From a change management perspective, this means addressing at least four key transformations<\/strong>, affecting governance, organizational culture, and decision making processes.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1642168135550{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_raw_html css=”.vc_custom_1771581591761{margin-top: 20px 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spacer_size=”20px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1642168135550{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_single_image image=”11970″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1771582248132{margin-top: 30px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1771583080722{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”]\n

Source: OpenKnowledge<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”10px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1642168135550{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md”][vc_single_image image=”11972″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1771582267660{margin-top: 30px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1771583090848{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”]\n

Source: OpenKnowledge<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1771582290704{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”]\n

The impact on company culture<\/strong><\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]In organizations where pay systems are not always fully formalized or transparent, the introduction of the directive may raise doubts, concerns, and internal resistance<\/strong>. Fear of conflicts among colleagues, concern about losing negotiation flexibility, managers\u2019 uncertainty in justifying pay differences, defensive reactions such as \u201cwe are only doing this because we are required to\u201d.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]Here is where change management comes into play. Companies that treat the directive as mere compliance risk friction and mistrust, while those that interpret it as a cultural journey<\/strong> can strengthen fairness, credibility, and engagement<\/strong>, supporting people, leadership, and mindset.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]How? This directive represents a rare opportunity for HR professionals<\/strong> to take a leading role in facilitating conversations, building clear and defensible criteria, supporting internal management, and using data and numbers to communicate externally their commitment to fairness and attention to people.<\/p>\n

In other words, moving from policy administrators to promoters of organizational trust.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1771582961783{margin-top: 40px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;}”]\n

From regulation to experimentation, our event with IDEM<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This perspective was also at the core of our recent event organized in collaboration with our partner IDEM \u2013 Mind The Gap<\/strong><\/a>, during which we involved 25 HR professionals from Italian and international companies<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][vc_column_text]We chose a non traditional approach, a board game designed to simulate strategic decisions related to the directive<\/strong>, foster deeper understanding, and generate new awareness.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1642168135550{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”11961″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1771424986450{margin-top: 30px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1771583109883{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”]\n

Source: <\/em><\/span>Play the Pay Transparency Directive @ Liberty Tower, Milan<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”10px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column width=”1\/6″ css=”.vc_custom_1642168135550{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_hidden-lg vc_hidden-md”][vc_single_image image=”11891″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1760360794947{margin-top: 30px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1760431358782{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}”]\n

Fonte: OpenKnowledge<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][wgl_spacing spacer_size=”20px” responsive_mobile=”true” size_mobile=”60px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]Through the game, participants were able to:<\/p>\n