Equality and female presence in management positions is still a pending task. Although more and more women are holding positions of responsibility, they still face more difficulties than their male counterparts to reach these positions of power. And, in addition, when they reach the top of companies, female executives earn less than their male counterparts. In Catalonia, the gender pay gap stands at 15.2%. Although the figure has decreased by more than one point compared to the previous year (16.3%), it is two points above the state average.
Specifically, in Spain, men earn an average of 91,540 gross euros per year, while women earn 84,640 euros annually, that is, 12.9% less than their male colleagues. This is the main conclusion drawn from the 19th edition of the Report on the pay gap and the presence of women in management positions, prepared by Eada Business School and ICSA Grupo, which indicates that the pay gap at the state level has increased by 1.7% compared to the previous year.
The study, based on a database of more than 80,000 salaries, shows that the pay gap between women and men has been decreasing in the last two decades. In 2009, a woman in Spain earned 100 euros for every 117 euros earned by her male counterpart. In 2024, this difference had been reduced to 11.2 euros.
However, in 2025, and after seven years in which the pay gap has progressively decreased, the pay gap has increased again. On the other hand, this difference between men and women is smaller in middle management positions (11.6%) and the rest of the staff (9.7%). Thus, a female staff member earns an average of 28,250 euros, compared to the 30,985 euros received annually by male employees.
In parallel, the presence of women in positions of responsibility has increased in recent years. In 2025, out of every 100 management positions, 17 are occupied by women (16.9%). The figure is the second best data in the historical series, which began in 2009, and only below 2021. Despite a greater generalized presence, female executives are concentrated in traditionally feminized management areas, such as communication ---a sector in which women occupy more than 40% of positions of responsibility--- marketing or human resources.
On the other hand, the manufacturing industry also stands out as one of the sectors where a greater growth in female representation has been registered, with 7% more women in management positions compared to the previous year. However, the female presence in management positions is still very low in sectors such as ICT, where they barely represent 5.8% of senior positions, or production management. In addition, only 9.2% of the general managers of Spanish companies are women. "These are positions that are not very adaptable and flexible, based on presentism and complete availability, which do not facilitate female presence. We still have not learned to design jobs and to take advantage of technology to facilitate women's access to these positions," laments Indry Canchilla, managing partner of the consulting area of Icsa Group.
The report attributes this increase in the gender pay gap to the fact that companies perceive a false sense of "mission accomplished" in terms of equality. "Companies have stopped making an effort," said Aline Masuda, professor and researcher at EADA Business School, who added that the measures currently being applied in terms of equality "have a minimal impact."
"It is necessary to change the way work and care are distributed, as well as to change remuneration strategies, so that they focus on competitiveness and results, and to work on redesigning jobs to make them flexible," Canchilla said. Thus, the report points to performance-based remuneration, with flexible hours, instead of exclusive salary compensation for time dedicated, as a possible solution to this problem. "It is essential to transform labor structures to ensure that women's access and professional development does not imply a salary penalty or unfair concessions," Masuda concluded.