WP Engine Commits To White House Equal Pay Pledge

Equal Pay Commitment Part Of Broader Diversity & Inclusion Strategy

December 8, 2016 – AUSTIN, TX – WP Engine, a company that powers amazing digital experiences for websites and applications built on the WordPress platform, announced that it has joined the White House Equal Pay Pledge, with more than 50 leading businesses signing on to take action to advance equal pay.

By signing the pledge, WP Engine commits to conduct an annual company-wide gender pay analysis, review hiring and promotion processes, embed equal pay efforts in broader equity initiatives, and identify and promote best practices that will close the wage gap.

Today, women make up nearly half of the U.S. labor force and more women than ever are the breadwinners in their families. More women are also working in positions and fields that have been traditionally occupied by men. Yet in 2015, the typical woman working full-time all year in the United States earned only 80 percent of what the typical man earned working full-time all year.

Ensuring that half of all the country’s workers are paid fairly would grow the economy. According to an April 2016 report by McKinsey, achieving gender parity in the workforce could add $4.3 trillion to the U.S. economy alone by 2025.

The WP Engine workforce of over 400 employees in 5 offices around the world is made up of 26 percent women. Further, women comprise 30 percent of the company’s non-executive management leadership roles and 65 percent of its senior executive management roles.

This stems from WP Engine’s belief that diversity in all forms – diversity of ideas, diversity of beliefs, diversity of people helps the company reach out to, build innovative features for, and encourage the inclusion of the global communities that form its 50,000 customer base in over 130 countries.

Having a workforce that mirrors its global customer base makes WP Engine a stronger, more competitive company. It follows then that from coding to marketing to sales, gender should not hold a person back in his or her aspirations, nor should it factor into pay. And once you start down that path – it builds momentum.

“WP Engine is pleased to join with the other 44 leading companies today to take action to advance equal pay. We also believe diversity attracts diversity. People are more likely to join an organization where they can be their authentic self and find people with shared values and opportunities that will challenge them,” said Heather J. Brunner, Chairwoman and CEO of WP Engine. “We aspire to build a company that empowers people and provides them with the environment and tools to be the best they possibly can. Companies must be intentional about diversity. Balance doesn’t just happen; you have to create an environment where differences are valued and encouraged.”

Having recently analyzed its highest incumbency and executive roles, WP Engine has found no evidence of a gender wage gap across its employee levels. WP Engine commits to being vigilant on behalf of all the company’s employees in order to play a role in society achieving gender equality and for the global economy to reach its full potential. The company will continue to look at salaries at all levels on an annual basis and will take steps to proactively secure its commitment to equal pay and gender equality as it grows.

As an organization led by a female executive and with an extensive female executive team, WP Engine is in a unique position to understand the importance of supporting women early in their careers. While progress has been made in the technology industry, the company pledges to work to empower future generations of female entrepreneurs by providing them with equal opportunities in its organization and promote diversity in technology within the U.S. and globally.

ABOUT WP ENGINE
WP Engine powers amazing digital experiences for websites and applications built on WordPress. The company’s provides the performance, reliability and security required by the biggest brands and agencies in the world, while remaining affordable and intuitive for smaller businesses and individuals.

Our award-winning customer service team of WordPress experts is trusted by over 50,000 companies across over 130 countries to quickly solve technical problems, and create a world-class customer experience. Founded in 2010, WP Engine is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and has offices in San Francisco, California, San Antonio, Texas, London, England, and Limerick, Ireland.