Step 3. Write a supporting narrative
Updated 7 April 2026
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/creating-an-action-plan-guidance-for-employers/step-3-write-a-supporting-narrative
When you submit your action plan, you will be asked to add:
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supporting text for each action
-
a supporting narrative for your overall action plan
Your supporting narrative will be published alongside the data you report on the gender pay gap service. It can help people understand the underlying factors which may impact data, and provide context.
You should prepare this content before you submit your action plan.
Supporting text for each action
For each ‘new or in progress’ action you select, you must add further details about:
- why your organisation has chosen this action
- how you will track and understand whether this action is improving gender equality in your organisation
For actions you select that are ‘embedded’ – they are already an established part of your working practice – you can add further details about how your organisation made them an established part of their working practice. This might include:
- how your organisation implemented this action
- what the results have been
For each action you add to your plan, you:
- can write up to 100 words of supporting text
- cannot upload files, such as CSVs or PDFs
- cannot add links
Supporting narrative for your overall action plan
You can add an overall supporting narrative with any background information. This might include your organisation’s objectives for gender equality. You can write up to 200 words. You cannot upload files.
We encourage you to ensure the information you include in your action plan is also available on your own website. When you create your action plan on the gender pay gap service, we will ask you to link to the relevant page – for example, to your organisation’s equality policies or strategies, if you have them.