Sex discrimination occurs when someone is treated unfairly for reasons relating to their sex. Although illegal in the UK for many years, the law is now incorporated into the Equality Act 2010. Sex discrimination continues to be an issue, for example, sexual and sex-based harassment and the related area of pregnancy and maternity discrimination remain serious problems, and low numbers of women in senior roles is a key challenge for many organisations. 

This factsheet offers an overview of the different types of discrimination with examples of how they apply to sex discrimination. It highlights the need for employers to take action and suggests good employment practices to ensure everyone has fair access and opportunity to progress in work, regardless of their sex. 

Explore our viewpoint on gender equality in more detail, along with actions for government and recommendations for employers. 

On this page

Members access only

Unlock exclusive, tailored content and resources, just for members.

Sign in to access

Not a member yet? Find out how you can become a member today!

CIPD Trust

Tackling barriers to work today whilst creating inclusive workplaces of tomorrow.

Find out more

Bullying
and harassment

Discover our practice guidance and recommendations to tackle bullying and harassment in the workplace.

View our resources

Related content

CIPD Viewpoint
Religion and belief

Explore the CIPD’s point of view on religion and belief, including actions for Government and recommendations for employers

CIPD Viewpoint
Race inclusion in the workplace

Explore the CIPD’s point of view on race inclusion in the workplace, including recommendations for employers

Topic
Discrimination resources

Explore our resources to gain informative insights into discrimination in the workplace.

Explore our other factsheets

Factsheet
HR policies

An overview of the purpose and benefits of HR policies and how to implement and communicate them effectively throughout an organisation

Factsheet
Workforce planning

Explores the benefits of workforce planning, the activities involved and the stages of the workforce planning process

Factsheet
Employee relations: an introduction

Understand what employee relations means as a concept and what it means to employers

Factsheet
Employee engagement and motivation

Understand the concept of employee engagement and learn how to build an engaged and motivated workforce

Factsheets