MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED
Action plan 2026 to 2027
Contents
1. Introduction
What is an action plan?
Employers with 250 or more employees can produce and publish a voluntary action plan outlining how they intend to address their gender pay gap and support employees experiencing menopause. Subject to legislation, these will become mandatory from spring 2027.
To create their action plan, employers review a list of evidence-informed actions recommended by the government. They identify any they already routinely do (‘embedded actions’), and choose some new actions to work on for the first time or build on something they are already doing (‘planned actions’). They must choose at least 2 planned actions:
- one must address an organisation’s gender pay gap
- one must support employees experiencing menopause
You can see the full list of actions (opens in a new window) and guidance for employers on creating an action plan (opens in a new window).
For more detail on the process, see the gender pay gap and action plan guidance (opens in a new window).
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED submitted the following supporting narrative with their action plan:
At Mott MacDonald, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our approach builds on the strong foundation and progress made through our wider equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, with a focus on measurable impact, accountability and continuous improvement.
We have established practices including flexible and agile working, inclusive recruitment, and family-friendly and wellbeing policies. Building on this, our gender pay gap action plan focuses on strengthening representation, progression and retention. We are reviewing our data to set informed targets, improving transparency in job adverts, and continuing to embed fair and structured recruitment practices. We are also committing to new actions, including undertaking a menopause risk assessment to better support employees at key career stages.
Progress will be monitored through workforce data and employee feedback to ensure our actions deliver meaningful and sustained outcomes.
Read MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED’s equality policies or strategy (opens their website in a new window)
2. Planned actions
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED has committed to working on these actions in the 2026 to 2027 reporting year:
Set targets to improve gender representation
Setting specific internal targets that you can monitor using data gives your organisation clear steps to improve gender representation and equality.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We have previously set internal targets to improve gender representation and are now reviewing our workforce data to evaluate progress and refine these targets. This ensures our approach remains evidence-based and responsive to emerging trends. We continue to track progress through analysis of recruitment, promotion, retention and headcount data, supported by internal dashboards and regular reporting. Outcomes are reviewed through our EDI governance processes, enabling us to monitor impact over time and adjust actions where needed to drive continuous improvement in gender equality.
Conduct a menopause risk assessment for your workplace
Menopause risk assessments can identify workplace adjustments to help support your employees' wellbeing.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We are committing to undertake a menopause risk assessment to better understand how workplace factors may impact colleagues experiencing menopause. This will build on our existing wellbeing support by identifying any adjustments, guidance or improvements needed to create a more supportive environment. We will review findings and track outcomes through employee feedback, absence and retention data to understand impact. This action supports our wider commitment to improving gender equality by helping retain and support experienced employees at key career stages.
3. Embedded actions
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED has indicated that the following actions are already an established part of their working practice.
Make job descriptions inclusive
Inclusive job descriptions can attract diverse talent by using neutral language, listing only essential requirements, and highlighting equal opportunities.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We removed the blanket 2:1 degree requirement for most entry roles so that applications are judged purely on skills and potential. We have also targeted non-Russell unis and have partnered with diverse talent schemes to widen our candidate pool, and we routinely review our job descriptions with “gender decoders” and inclusive language to avoid unconscious barriers. We also offer inclusive recruitment guidance and training that gives insight on how to draft inclusive job descriptions
Encourage applications from a range of candidates
Actively seeking applications from under-represented groups can ensure a broader range of applicants for all roles.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We take an evidence-led approach to attracting diverse candidates by analysing workforce data across recruitment, progression and representation to identify gaps. This informs targeted attraction strategies. We partner with professional networks, charities and specialist organisations, including STEM Returners, Flexa and myGwork, to reach underrepresented groups and promote inclusive opportunities. We also engage industry and community partners to broaden our reach beyond traditional channels. Internally, we support inclusive hiring through structured, fair recruitment processes and encourage employees to share opportunities within their networks. All candidates are assessed on merit, with clear criteria in place to minimise bias and ensure equitable outcomes.
Encourage employee development through actionable steps
Giving all employees clear and actionable advice on how to develop may benefit organisations with low rates of progression and retention for women.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We support employee development through established processes including career pathways, structured talent frameworks, and regular performance and development conversations. These provide clarity on progression and ensure consistent, evidence-based decision-making. Managers are supported to give fair and actionable feedback, while senior leaders actively role model inclusive behaviours and sponsor talent. We monitor outcomes through analysis of promotion, progression and retention data, alongside employee feedback, enabling us to identify disparities and take targeted action. This builds on existing practices, which we continue to refine to ensure equitable development opportunities for all.
Offer mentoring, sponsorship and other development programmes
Providing development programmes, such as mentoring, gives employees a formal channel for advice and support.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We operate a mentoring programme that is open to all employees, providing opportunities for individuals to connect with colleagues across different levels and disciplines to support their professional development and career progression. In addition, we have implemented a reciprocal mentoring scheme, which facilitates two-way learning between senior and junior employees based on lived experience around gender, LGBTQ+ experiences, parenting and caring, ethnicity and disability. This approach enables the sharing of diverse perspectives, experiences, and skills, while supporting leadership development and fostering a more inclusive organisational culture.
The mentoring programmes are supported by clear guidance, induction materials, and toolkits/
Advertise leave policies in job adverts
Advertise parental, carer, and compassionate leave policies widely to ensure all prospective employees know the entitlements they would be eligible for.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We already include information on leave and family leave, flexible working and wider benefits within our job adverts and careers pages, ensuring candidates can clearly understand the support available. This includes enhanced parental leave, carers’ leave and flexible working options, using inclusive language that reflects different family structures. We monitor the consistency of this approach across roles and track its impact through application data, candidate feedback and diversity metrics. This allows us to assess whether increased transparency supports attraction from a broader and more diverse talent pool and refine our approach where needed.
Use fair and structured interview techniques
Structured interviews support fair, objective hiring. Standardised questions and scoring helps reduce bias and promotes equal opportunity.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We use structured recruitment and assessment processes, including consistent interview frameworks, clear scoring criteria and trained hiring managers, to support fair and objective decision-making. Interviewers are guided to assess candidates against role-relevant criteria, reducing subjectivity and bias. We regularly review recruitment outcomes, including shortlisting and hiring data across different groups, alongside candidate feedback, to identify any disparities. This builds on established practices, which we continue to strengthen through ongoing governance and data-led insights to ensure equitable outcomes throughout the recruitment process
Advertise flexible working arrangements in job adverts
Flexible working policies can aid work-life balance, especially for people with caring roles. Advertising flexibility can attract a wider, more diverse group of applicants.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We promote flexible and hybrid working arrangements within our job adverts and careers pages, enabling candidates to understand how roles can be adapted to support different needs. This includes our agile working approach, which supports flexibility in how, when and where work is delivered. We monitor the consistency of this messaging across roles and assess impact through application and diversity data, alongside candidate feedback. This builds on established practices, which we continue to strengthen to support attraction, retention and progression of a diverse workforce.
Set up menopause support groups and networks
Menopause support groups in your organisation can help provide peer support, information and guidance.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
Recognising the importance of peer support, we started up a private menopause chat group, welcoming requests to join from anyone experiencing (or due to experience) menopause or perimenopause. This has grown organically to 204 highly engaged members, providing a safe and trusted space for colleagues to share experiences, ask questions and access support.
Offer workplace adjustments to employees experiencing menopause
Personalised workplace adjustments for employees experiencing menopause can support their wellbeing and ability to work.
MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED said:
We have developed a menopause guidance framework outlining the different types of support available to colleagues - including the types of reasonable adjustments to offer or ask for, and what colleagues and people managers can do to help
The guidance includes a range of reasonable adjustments, recognising that support must be flexible and responsive, eg., Access to desk fans or alternative workstations; making use of our agile working policy to work from home; Taking time away from desks, accommodating appointments;
These adjustments are not treated as exceptions, but as part of our approach to enabling colleagues perform at their best.
4. About MOTT MACDONALD LIMITED
- Registered address
- 10 Fleet Place, London, United Kingdom, EC4M 7RB
- Sector
- Professional scientific and technical activities
- Person responsible
- Anna Sirmoglou (EDI manager)