The gap in pay between male and female charity leaders has narrowed over the last year but remains in double figures, a latest survey has found.

The ACEVO Pay and Equalities 2025 survey saw the charity leadership body gather responses from more than 700 chief executive sin the sector.

This found that the gender pay gap has reduced from to 10.6% from a decade high of 14.4% last year.

Last month a survey by the Women in Charity Network found that lack of career progression is the number one issue facing women in the sector. Poor pay was another challenge respondents told the Network.

ACEVO warns that while male CEO’s median earnings are £64,067 the figure drops to £57,250 among female charity leaders.

The sector is also blighted by a lack of diversity in leadership roles with only 6% of charity CEOs identifying as Asian or minoritised ethnic and no Black CEOs responded to this year’s survey.

Last year ACEVO found that 7% of charity leaders were from global majority backgrounds.

The proportion of charity CEOs with a disability, learning difference or health condition has fallen, from 20% last year to 17% in 2025, ACEVO also found.

This year’s survey also found that three in four CEOs received a pay rise this year, up from just under seven in ten last year.

In terms of benefits they receive, seven in ten reported access to flexible working.

Two in five cited mental health support and one in four said access to wellness programmes, although ACEVO says mentions of both benefits have dropped compared to last year.

Less than half of charity CEOs are satisfied with board level support for their wellbeing and just over half are happy with their work life balance.

“Each year I make no secret of the fact that I find the lack of real shift in the areas that matter most deeply frustrating, and sadly this year is no different,” said ACEO chief executive Jane Ide.

“The findings in this year’s report make clear that if we want charities to remain strong, effective and transformative, we must do better at supporting those who lead them.

“We cannot afford to ignore the evidence, and it is long overdue that we see real shifts in the right direction. If we fail to act, we risk weakening the very fabric of civil society.”

Personal learning and development

The survey also found that more than four in five charity leaders feel clear about their role and board expectations.

But ACEVO warns that there is a gap on job clarity between CEOs working at small charities and larger organisations in the sector.

In addition, fewer charity CEOs are reporting they are satisfied with the amount of time they can spend on personal learning and development.

Three quarters of their time is spent on tackling day to day issues, while the remaining time is spent on strategic thinking and planning.

Nevertheless, job satisfaction remains high among four in five leaders and seven in ten say they are likely to still be working in the sector in five years’ time, the survey also found.

---