Amazon, which was previously looking to avoid having to disclose details on how much it pays female employees compared to male employees, has reversed its position and made the information public.
The online retail giant revealed that in a review of its United States workforce including warehouse workers, Amazon paid women 99.9 percent of the compensation that it paid to men in equivalent positions.
In addition, the company said that it paid minorities 100.1 percent of the compensation that it paid to white employees in similar roles.
"There will naturally be slight fluctuations from year to year, but at Amazon we are committed to keeping compensation fair and equitable," said Amazon in a statement.
Arjuna Capital, a Baldwin Brothers unit and an activist shareholder for Amazon, was putting pressure on the company to reveal information regarding gender pay equality in its workforce.
"We are pleased Amazon is stepping up in response to investor concerns about gender pay equity," said Arjuna Capital Director of shareholder engagement Natasha Lamb.
"I assume they looked at the numbers and they were happy with the results and now they're willing to be transparent about it and accountable," Lamb added in her attempt to explain the sudden change of decision by the company.
In July 2015, Amazon estimated that women made up 39 percent of its workforce and 24 percent of its managers globally. The figures remain in line compared to a workforce diversity report that the company released in November 2014, when Amazon reported that women made up 37 percent of its workforce and 25 percent of its managers globally.
Initially, Amazon wanted to prevent a proposal brought forward by Arjuna Capital and Pax World Funds that would require the company to disclose the information regarding gender pay equality. The Securities and Exchange Commission, however, denied Amazon's attempt to stop the proposal.
Arjuna Capital has been trying to push tech companies into releasing information on how much women are paid compared to men in their workforces. Beginning with eBay last year, the firm has since shifted its focus to Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Adobe and Expedia.
Only Intel, Apple and Amazon have so far released the gender pay equality information, with Intel announcing that it has 100 percent gender equality in salaries, while Apple revealed that it pays women 99.6 percent of what it pays men among its employees.
