b'Register at www.stationerymatters.news to receive our biweekly industry e-newsletterNEWSWHSmith doubles number of women receiving bonusesWHSmiths latest gender pay gap report reveals it has no median gender pay gap for the second year running and has doubled the number of women receiving bonuses. The median gender pay gap (the difference in pay between the middle-ranking man and the middle-ranking woman) is 0% for the second year in aKaweco celebrates milestone with new row, performing far better than the UK national average genderfrosted finishespay gap of 17.9%. According to the latest data submitted to theHot on the heels of celebrating the 135th anniversary of their government ahead of the 4th April deadline, its mean gender paybrand in 2018, in January this year Michael Gutberlet and his gap narrowed from 20% in 2017 to 19.7% in 2018. The medianteam at German pen brand Kaweco launched a brand-new series bonus gap between genders narrowed from 48.7% in 2017 to 0%based on their iconic Sport design and introduced new colours to in 2018. another of their iconic pens, the Perkeo.Stephen Clarke, CEO of WHSmith, said: The Group BoardKaweco has combined modern materials and contemporary is committed to improving the gender balance across thecolours with its classic design heritage to produce a new Sport business. We are making progress, however we know thatseries in a frosted finishthe Kaweco Frosted Sport. Despite its improving gender balance will take time and require sustainedchilly-sounding name, the light pastel colours and slightly opaque, focus over the long term.milky plastic (which reveals a glimpse of the inner workings of Within the retail arm of WHSmith, the number of womenthe pen), make the Frosted series equally on trend for summer. receiving bonuses has doubled from 15% to 30%, althoughThe Kaweco Frosted Sport is available as a fountain pen in five this still represents a gap between the number of womennib sizes, a rollerball, a ballpoint, a 0.7mm click-action pencil or taking home bonuses and men receiving bonuses. The reporta 3.2mm clutch pencil. Colours include the delectable-sounding shows that the number of men receiving bonuses has alsoNatural Coconut, Soft Mandarin, Blush Pitaya (a.k.a dragon fruit), increased, with 35% of men taking home bonus pay in 2018Sweet Banana, Light Blueberry or Fine Lime. Kaweco has also compared to 19% of men in 2017. The gap has narrowedlaunched a Frosted calligraphy range in Natural Coconut alongside for womens median bonus pay, which is now 0% lower thanits Sport line.mens compared to 51% lower last year. In 2018, womensThe Perkeo fountain pen, which first appeared around 1900 mean bonus pay is 88.5% lower than mens, compared toin the catalogue of the Heidelberg dip pen factory (later named 87.9% last year.Kaweco), was described as a convertible fountain pen. Todays Anthony Lawrence, Group HR director, said: From ourversion of the Perkeo is designed to be an ink cartridge fountain analysis we know that the biggest contributing factor topen and a convertible fountain pen. The matt octagonal cap and our mean gender pay gap and mean bonus pay gap is thesixteen-edged barrel design stems from classic Kaweco tradition. number of executive positions held by men. At WHSmith,Perkeo is an entry-level fountain pen with an ergonomic grip women make up 65% of the workforce and 27% of the seniorsection designed for effortless writing. The brand has added three management team. We know that our gender pay gap willnew colours to the existing two-tone range of colours: Light only disappear when we have more women participating inSpring, All Black and Retro Block. Kaweco is distributed in the UK senior management and leadership roles, and at WHSmith weexclusively by Studio Pens.are on a pathway to make this happen. www.kaweco.comThis pathway to gender pay equality involves key initiatives including developing a pipeline of women primed for promotion, internal networking and development programmes, learning and development weeks, and using gender balance shortlists for external recruitment at senior executive level.www.whsmithplc.co.uk SPRING//SUMMER 2019 7'