CEO displays her salary on billboard, calls for pay transparency

In a bold move to champion pay transparency, Maura Nachtergaele, CEO of the tech company Payflip, has plastered her gross monthly salary of 10,000 euros on a large billboard in Antwerp. The striking campaign features her image alongside the figure, aiming to spark a broader conversation about compensation in Belgium.

Nachtergaele stated that the initiative makes it clear "that salary is not a matter of negotiation or flattery, but of substance." She believes the campaign is crucial for initiating dialogue on pay transparency, noting that many Belgians still feel uncomfortable discussing their earnings. "Today, we still talk about salary like our parents used to talk about sex: uncomfortably, in whispers, and apologetically," Nachtergaele remarked.

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We make it clear that salary is not a matter of negotiation or flattery, but of substance.

This public display comes as the European Union moves to mandate greater pay transparency. New EU regulations, expected to be implemented on June 7, will require companies to be more open about salary scales for positions. Employees will have the right to know the minimum and maximum earnings for colleagues performing similar work.

However, Belgium is not yet fully prepared to adopt these new European rules into national law. Significant questions remain regarding the practical application of the directive, such as whether employers must proactively communicate salary information or only respond to employee inquiries. Consequently, the full implementation of these transparency measures in Belgium is still pending.

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Today, we still talk about salary like our parents used to talk about sex: uncomfortably, in whispers, and apologetically.