What we assess, and why it matters
The criteria cover five areas: pay and progression, flexibility and leave, culture and safety, benefits, and accountability. Each tier builds on the one before it. Approved sets the baseline. Endorsed asks for evidence that policies are real and lived, not just written. Certified is reserved for employers measurably ahead of their peers and willing to be held to it publicly.
Criteria are assessed relative to company size. A 15-person startup and a 5,000-person enterprise are not measured the same way, and a smaller business can reach Certified without an enterprise benefits budget. What matters is genuine commitment, not headcount.
The Stamp applies to your tech and transformation function specifically. That is where our data sits, and where the assessment carries the most weight.
Criteria by Tier
= Required at this tier
| Criteria | Approved | Endorsed | Certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay and Progression | |||
| Gender pay gap reported annually | |||
| Salary bands published in job listings | – | ||
| 30%+ women in tech leadership roles | – | – | |
| Documented, transparent promotion criteria | – | ||
| Flexibility and Leave | |||
| Flexible / hybrid working available | |||
| Enhanced maternity leave | – | ||
| Equal or enhanced paternity / shared parental leave | – | – | |
| Return-to-work programme | – | – | |
| Culture and Safety | |||
| Clear harassment and discrimination reporting process | |||
| Annual culture or inclusion survey (internal) | – | ||
| Mid-year employee pulse survey (policies known and lived, not just written) | – | ||
| Women’s ERG or internal mentoring programme | – | – | |
| Culture score independently verified (e.g. Glassdoor) | – | – | |
| Benefits | |||
| Mental health support | |||
| Menopause policy in place | – | ||
| Fertility / IVF support | – | – | |
| Childcare support or backup care | – | – | |
| Accountability | |||
| Named DEI lead or contact | |||
| Annual public gender metrics report | – | ||
| Executive-level gender equity ownership | – | – | |
| Recommended governance structure in place (named owner, defined roles, process that survives staff turnover) | – | – | |
About the Stamp of Approval
The UNBOUND Stamp of Approval is the UK employer certification for gender equity in tech. It appears on job listings at the point where candidates decide, telling every woman who sees it exactly where that employer stands. Verified against real hiring data, reviewed annually, and revocable if the work stops. That is what makes it worth having.
New here? Start with the Stamp of Approval overview to see how the certification works, what each tier means, and what you get as a Stamp holder.
