BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC
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 alongside their gender pay gap data. Their action plan shows the steps they are taking to address their gender pay gap and support employees experiencing menopause. Subject to legislation, these will be mandatory from spring 2027.
To create their action plan, the employer reviews a list of evidence-informed actions recommended by the government. They identify any that are already an established part of their working practice (‘embedded actions’), and choose at least 2 new actions to focus on (‘planned actions’).
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).
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC submitted the following supporting narrative with their action plan:
We intend to narrow our gender pay gap and strengthen menopause support by making recruitment and progression more open and consistent, providing more flexible development and mentoring opportunities, using data to identify inequalities and measure progress and further improving menopause awareness, expertise and guidance.
We will support more consistent recruitment, development and progression through clearer criteria and more widely promoted vacancies and structured interviews. This will help reduce bias and ensure everyone is assessed fairly. Reviewing promotion, leave and retention data by gender and other characteristics will show where gaps remain and where we need to act.
Improving our focus on development, mentoring, meaningful talent conversations and awareness of unconscious bias will support fairer decisions and help women build skills and confidence. More flexible virtual and short learning options will increase the accessibility of development opportunities, prepare more colleagues for future roles and increase internal appointments, all of which will help more women progress into management positions.
We will also build on our menopause support through awareness events and more Menopause Experts and learning. This will make conversations easier, improve understanding and help colleagues feel informed, understood and confident in asking for support.
Read BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC’s equality policies or strategy (opens their website in a new window)
2. Planned actions
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC has committed to working on these actions in the 2026 to 2027 reporting year:
Set up menopause support groups and networks
About this action (Set up menopause support groups and networks)
Read more about the action: Set up menopause support groups and networks (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. 1. Menopause to be promoted via World Menopause Day in October 2026 and Women’s Health Awareness Week in May 2027.
Our Inclusivity and Diversity Committee is divided into two focus areas one of which is gender and within this sits menopause. The Committee has agreed a Social Media Calendar for the next 12 months which details who is responsible for the Menopause posts and when these will be promoted.
2. Train additional Menopause Expert.
We will invite interested parties to apply.
Expert trainer already in place for online training.
Train managers to support employees experiencing menopause
About this action (Train managers to support employees experiencing menopause)
Read more about the action: Train managers to support employees experiencing menopause (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Menopause courses to be promoted by “Now Trending” courses on Learn.
We will use our LMS and post communications to promote Menopause training available.
Enhance and promote flexible working and leave policies
About this action (Enhance and promote flexible working and leave policies)
Read more about the action: Enhance and promote flexible working and leave policies (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Developing a line managers tool kit to support employees who are pregnant / returning from maternity leave.
2. Set up a family friendly page on the Intranet.
3. Post updates on family friendly policies for all team members.
4. Measure the breakdown of employees using different types of leave by gender – including the combination of gender and other characteristics (such as ethnicity or disability status) to highlight specific trends for different groups of men and women.
Increase transparency for pay, promotion and rewards
About this action (Increase transparency for pay, promotion and rewards)
Read more about the action: Increase transparency for pay, promotion and rewards (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Document criteria and processes to make decisions for promotions, salary reviews and bonuses.
New bonus terms cover Area Managers and stores, with scheme details on the intranet. Salary review policy for Head Office and stores, including promotions, will appear in the Employee Handbook and intranet.
2. Analyse breakdown of employees by gender applying for promotion / successful candidates.
Quarterly gender analysis of promotion applications will track successful and unsuccessful outcomes and provide feedback.
3. Extend internal communication to include Assistant Manager vacancies.
Offer mentoring, sponsorship and other development programmes
About this action (Offer mentoring, sponsorship and other development programmes)
Read more about the action: Offer mentoring, sponsorship and other development programmes (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Increase the mentor scheme to build on current success, by providing mentoring to Store Managers and above. This could help to improve female representation in senior future roles.
Senior managers will volunteer to mentor Store Managers for at least 12 months, using a consistent mentoring framework.
2. Provide unconscious bias e-learning training for all managers involved in decision making for mentoring, sponsorships and development programmes.
LMS to be used to provide unconscious bias e-learning to every manager involved in decisions about recruitment, mentoring, sponsorship and development programmes.
Encourage employee development through actionable steps
About this action (Encourage employee development through actionable steps)
Read more about the action: Encourage employee development through actionable steps (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Provide training for all managers on how to discuss the Talent Map with team members being mindful that females are likely to under value their potential.
Managers to be provided with training and guidance to support consistent, constructive Talent Map conversations and feedback.
2. All new courses to be created as virtual or micro learning to encourage female attendance.
New or updated courses will be designed as virtual learning or micro learning, to make learning more accessible and encourage female participation.
Encourage applications from a range of candidates
About this action (Encourage applications from a range of candidates)
Read more about the action: Encourage applications from a range of candidates (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Analyse length of service of new female recruits, including key milestones such as 12 months and comparing this data with new male recruits and by position.
The Talent Department will review new starter data quarterly to identify any differences in length of service between female and male recruits and provide feedback on key findings.
Use fair and structured interview techniques
About this action (Use fair and structured interview techniques)
Read more about the action: Use fair and structured interview techniques (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Implement a structured scoring framework for interview questions to enable fairness and consistency in comparing candidates by gender and standardise the recruitment process.
2. Ensure all candidates are asked the same interview questions for each role, with questions aligned to the skills, experience and attributes required for the position, irrespective of gender.
Identify core interview questions by position and introduce a scoring framework to support a fair and consistent assessment of candidates.
Include core questions and scoring framework in the Talent and Retention course to improve hiring managers understanding and promote a more consistent approach to interviewing.
Advertise leave policies in job adverts
About this action (Advertise leave policies in job adverts)
Read more about the action: Advertise leave policies in job adverts (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Add information about our family-friendly policies to the careers site, possibly within the FAQs section and include a link to this information in all job adverts to encourage more applications from females.
The Talent Department will create content highlighting our family friendly policies and work with Marketing to include this in the careers site. A link will also be added to all job advert templates to support prospective candidates.
3. Embedded actions
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC has indicated that the following actions are already an established part of their working practice.
Offer workplace adjustments to employees experiencing menopause
About this action (Offer workplace adjustments to employees experiencing menopause)
Read more about the action: Offer workplace adjustments to employees experiencing menopause (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Workplace adjustments offered to include temperature / ventilation, businesswear, hours, breaks time off etc.
Line Managers and employees are aware of the support that we provide via our Menopause Policy and Support Plan.
The Support Plan itself guides managers through a Menopause Risk Assessment with specific areas to consider and suggestions / recommendations.
Further assistance is provided via the Menopause Experts or People Department.
Conduct a menopause risk assessment for your workplace
About this action (Conduct a menopause risk assessment for your workplace)
Read more about the action: Conduct a menopause risk assessment for your workplace (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Menopause Support Plan to assist Managers in Conducting Menopause Risk Assessments.
The Support Plan itself guides managers through a Menopause Risk Assessment with specific areas to consider and suggestions / recommendations.
Further assistance is provided via the Menopause Experts or People Department.
2. Menopause Risk Assessment framework in place.
As above.
Make job descriptions inclusive
About this action (Make job descriptions inclusive)
Read more about the action: Make job descriptions inclusive (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Entry level job adverts reviewed using an AI Focus Group and gender bias checker to ensure the language is gender neutral and to remove wording that could discourage female applicants from applying.
2. Included a short equality, diversity and inclusion statement into entry level job adverts, encouraging individuals with different personal circumstances to apply, regardless of their gender or background.
3. Tested the changes to entry level job adverts across a number of vacancies and used the Company ATS to monitor and compare the proportion of male and female applicants.
Advertise flexible working arrangements in job adverts
About this action (Advertise flexible working arrangements in job adverts)
Read more about the action: Advertise flexible working arrangements in job adverts (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Job adverts include clear information about working patterns that candidates can expect, to appeal to applicants with different personal circumstances regardless of gender or background.
Adverts detail contracted hours, shifts, weekend expectations and fair advance rota planning, helping candidates balance commitments.
2. Feedback gathered from successful female candidates to better understand what motivated them to apply for the role, particularly focusing on how working patterns support their individual circumstances.
Surveyed female hires from the last financial year on application motivations, attention-grabbing features, alignment between Company values and personal views, and whether they envisaged a long-term Big Yellow career.
Review policies and procedures to meet the needs of employees experiencing menopause
About this action (Review policies and procedures to meet the needs of employees experiencing menopause)
Read more about the action: Review policies and procedures to meet the needs of employees experiencing menopause (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Menopause Policy introduced which includes the effects of the menopause, team member and line manager responsibilities and Company support.
Intranet has a specific section relating to the Menopause which also includes the policy, various resources, details of the Experts and the Support Plan and Guidance.
Automatically consider eligible employees for promotion
About this action (Automatically consider eligible employees for promotion)
Read more about the action: Automatically consider eligible employees for promotion (opens in a new window)
BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC said:
1. Area Managers identify colleagues with potential for development programmes, rather than relying only on self-nomination, to encourage female inclusion.
2. Female induction trainers are actively sourced to broaden representation and increase the visibility of role models across the business.
3. We have introduced a Talent Map to support open conversations with all team members, helping us identify succession opportunities and specifically encourage female colleagues to progress towards a promotion.
Manager-led development, proactive trainer selection and Talent Map reviews support succession planning, increase female representation and visibility, reduce reliance on self-promotion, and demonstrate achievable progression.
4. About BIG YELLOW GROUP PLC
- Registered address
- Unit 2, The Deans, Bridge Road, Bagshot, Surrey, GU19 5AT
- Sector
- Professional scientific and technical activities
- Person responsible
- John Hunter (CEO)