#SayThePay campaign launched to tackle salary secrecy

Purpose-led communications agency Jack & Grace has launched a new campaign calling on PR and communications employers to end pay secrecy by including salaries in job adverts. The #SayThePay campaign lands at a time when recent PRWeek figures show just one in four PR agencies currently publish pay bands.

New research conducted by Jack & Grace reveals a stark disconnect between industry norms and public expectations: almost two thirds of jobseekers (64%) are unlikely to apply for a role if no salary is listed – a figure that climbs to 62% among younger workers, who increasingly view transparency as a non-negotiable.

Jack & Grace’s findings also show that over half of respondents (57%) would be willing to share their own salary if it helped reduce inequality – rising to 62% among 16–34-year-olds. Meanwhile, two in five people (41%) say they’ve discovered a colleague in the same or similar role was paid differently – increasing to nearly 60% among younger millennials.

To bring the issue to life, the agency partnered with content creator and influencer Henry Nelson-Case and production company Mill Road to create a short, tongue-in-cheek video that draws an absurd parallel between salary secrecy and a baffling lack of prices at an ice cream stand. The film has been released across LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and has reached almost 100,000 people within the first few days.

As part of the campaign, Jack & Grace is shining a light on the trailblazing employers already committed to salary transparency through a #SayThePay Wall of Fame – including London Wildlife Trust, Co-op, Good Energy and the PRCA.

Founded in 2020, Jack & Grace officially became salary transparent in 2022. This was inspired by the personal experience of co-founders Laura and Nyree who, when working in their first job together, discovered they were paid unequally, ultimately prompting Nyree to leave the company.

“Our sector talks a lot about inclusion but a key structural component of this is being  upfront and open about pay,” says Laura Chambers, Co-Founder of Jack & Grace. “Salary transparency is one of the most impactful things we can do to build more inclusive workplaces. We’re proud to be part of a growing movement of employers that do Say The Pay.”

“You wouldn’t accept this absurd vagueness when buying a product – so why accept it when applying for a job?” adds Nyree Ambarchian, Co-Founder of Jack & Grace. “Salary secrecy entrenches inequality, especially for those already structurally held back. We can – and should – do better.”

With the EU set to introduce mandatory salary transparency legislation in 2026, Jack & Grace is encouraging the UK’s PR and communications sector to get ahead of the curve – and make transparent pay a baseline standard now.

Employers ready to take action can visit We Show the Salary, a #SayThePay campaign partner, for tools, guidance and a platform to publicly pledge salary transparency. Jobseekers can explore opportunities through LATTE, the purpose-driven recruitment agency backing the campaign, which works with employers committed to pay transparency. Both platforms support a fairer, more open hiring process and reflect the growing momentum for change across the sector.

To find out more about Say the Pay and watch the campaign video visit: saythepay.co.uk