BRITISH Heart Foundation analysis shows it has no gender or ethnicity pay gaps, and the charity is redoubling its efforts with bold new ambitions to advance equality, diversity and inclusion.
BHF’s Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Report 2025 shows a median gender pay gap of 0.0%, compared to the UK average of 12.8%. The charity’s median ethnicity pay gap is also 0.0%.
A strong and unwavering commitment to improving equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) underpins this success, as set out in BHF’s first-ever EDI strategy, Igniting Change in 2022, and reinforced today with a series of bold new ambitions to accelerate progress even further.
The new ambitions will continue to drive real change for employees, increase the impact of BHF’s cardiovascular research for all, and champion the voice of heart patients and ultimately aim to reduce the heart health gaps caused by inequality.
Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of BHF, and sponsor of the charity’s EDI programme, said:
“Heart disease is a disease of inequality, shaped by where you live, your income, your gender and your ethnicity. That’s why tackling inequality is core to our mission to ensure that everyone has a healthier heart for longer.
“We know a more diverse research community is critical to delivering science that benefits more people, and that being representative of the communities we serve makes us a more powerful team.
“We are pleased to report we don’t have a gender and ethnicity pay gap, and remain steadfast in our determination to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion across our life-saving work.”
BHF’s new ambitions include:
Colleagues: Build a diverse, inclusive BHF where everyone can belong, thrive, and access equitable opportunities for progression.
Research: Ensure BHF-funded research is inclusive by design and supports a more representative cardiovascular research community.
Health: Highlight cardiovascular inequalities to drive and influence change through evidence, policy, and patient support (see notes to editors for the ambitions in full).
Progress since the start of Igniting Change includes equal paid parental leave, remodelling of BHF’s customer support centre in Birmingham for wheelchair accessibility, the creation of a low sensory zone in London for neurodiverse colleagues, the launch of a leadership and talent programme for women and minority ethnic colleagues and the creation of an anti-racism statement, shaped by colleagues across BHF, that aims to address systemic racism. BHF has also increased diversity among its funding committees and sought additional EDI information during funding applications to ensure inclusivity in research.
In its policy and influencing work, BHF has made addressing inequalities central, publishing major reports such as Bridging Hearts and Worlds Apart on cardiovascular disease inequalities. The charity has also increased accessibility of its resources, including easy-read formats, audio, braille, and multiple languages, and established new advisory structures to ensure more diverse voices inform programmes.
BHF’s EDI ambitions have been shaped through consultation with a wide range of colleagues, medical research representatives, patients, and supporters, ensuring the charity’s approach is collaborative and inclusive.
BHF’s Gender and Ethnicity Pay Gap Report 2025 shows BHF’s median gender pay gap is 0.0%, compared with 1.7% in favour of women in 2024. The report also shows BHF continues to reduce its mean gender pay gap, now at 7.1% in favour of men and down from 8.1% in 2024.
BHF voluntarily reports its ethnicity pay gap. This year, BHF’s median ethnicity pay gap is 0.0%. The mean ethnicity pay gap is 3.8% in favour of minority ethnic colleagues, which reflects the current distribution of roles in the workforce.
For more information, visit: Gender and ethnicity pay report – BHF.
