CTS - Our Gender Pay Report 2026

CTS is a leading provider of construction materials testing, surveying, and monitoring services to the UK construction, infrastructure, and civil engineering sectors.

Our people are central to the success of the business, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone is treated equally, with access to the same opportunities, career progression, and rewards across all areas of the company.

As of April 2025, CTS employed 471 people across 11 sites in the UK:

The gender split for 2025/26 was as follows:

We recognise the importance of attracting and retaining women within the construction sector. While we take a gender-neutral approach to recruitment, we are actively working to address industry-wide imbalances and foster an inclusive workplace for all colleagues.

2025 Gender Pay Gap Results

Proportion Receiving Bonus Pay

Pay Quartiles

What These Figures Mean

The figures above show the difference between average pay for men and women at CTS and reflect the distribution of our workforce across roles, experience, and seniority levels.

Our 2025 mean gender pay gap is 11.92%, slightly higher than the 9.35% reported in 2024. Given that our workforce is 77% male and 23% female, even small changes in the distribution of genders across pay quartiles can significantly affect the overall pay gap.

Compared to other UK-based construction and technical services companies, CTS’s gender pay gap is broadly in line with sector norms. While some organisations report smaller median gaps or even median advantages for women, CTS’s figures are typical for an industry where senior and technical roles remain predominantly male. This context reinforces our ongoing commitment to increasing female representation in higher-paid roles and continuing to reduce the gender pay gap over time.

Workforce Changes and Restructuring

As part of our ongoing mission to simplify the business and improve efficiency, CTS has invested in software and digital tools to support productivity across teams. This has led to a restructuring of certain roles, particularly administrative positions, which were historically predominantly occupied by women.

Alongside these changes, we have simplified our management structure, creating a clearer hierarchy with fewer layers. This provides a more transparent and accessible development path for all employees, reducing organisational complexity and supporting equitable career progression opportunities.

While flexible working arrangements are encouraged and many senior roles already allow for flexibility, the majority of our roles remain site-based, which can limit remote working options compared to other sectors.

Gender Pay Gap Trend Over Time

CTS has reported its gender pay gap for the past eight years, allowing us to track progress and understand the impact of workforce and structural changes over time.

Over this period, the mean pay gap has ranged from 4.5% to 12.6%, reflecting the impact of business restructuring, changes in workforce composition, and sector-wide gender distribution. Median pay gaps also fluctuate, demonstrating how small changes in role distribution—particularly in male- or female-dominated roles—can influence overall results.

This historical perspective underlines CTS’s continued focus on inclusion, fairness, and career development for women, supported by initiatives such as flexible working, targeted development for STEM roles, and unconscious bias training.

Actions to Improve the Gender Pay Gap

CTS is committed to reducing the gender pay gap and supporting an inclusive workplace. Our approach focuses on improving recruitment, career development, and ongoing monitoring to ensure fair opportunities for all.

1. Inclusive Recruitment

• Review and enhance recruitment processes to attract a diverse pool of candidates for all roles.
• Commit to increasing the representation of female candidates across the business.

2. Development and Progression

• Design and implement development initiatives to support the progression of women, whether in site-based or office-based roles.
• Encourage mentorship, training, and career planning to create clear opportunities for advancement.

3. Ongoing Monitoring and Reporting

• Regularly track gender distribution, pay, promotions, and career progression across the business.
• Use insights from monitoring to inform initiatives and ensure fair and equitable practices continue to be applied.

Through these actions, CTS will continue to foster an inclusive culture, support career growth for all employees, and make measurable progress in reducing the gender pay gap over time.

Our Commitment

CTS is dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees are valued and compensated fairly, regardless of gender. By combining transparency, flexible development opportunities, and ongoing monitoring, CTS aims to create a more equitable workplace and continue reducing the gender pay gap year on year.