Oxfam Intermón report highlights widening pay gap and climate impact of Europe's biggest firms

The Oxfam Intermón study of the 100 largest European corporations found that between 2022 and 2024 they allocated an average of 70 % of their profits to shareholders while maintaining pronounced wage and gender inequalities. CEOs received roughly 78 times the average worker’s pay, rising to 119 times in Spain, and men earned 10.7 % more than women overall, with the gap reaching 14.4 % in Spanish firms. The report also notes that the combined emissions of these companies accounted for 26 % of total global emissions in 2024. Oxfam calls for limiting wage gaps, guaranteeing decent salaries, strengthening gender equality, and promoting a just ecological transition. “Inequality is not inevitable: it is a choice,” the organization warned.