As we plan for 2021, we need to consider COVID-19’s impact on 2020 compensation decisions for nonprofit executives. For the most part, nonprofit executive compensation came to a halt.
Executive Compensation
The Great Executive Pay Debate
In the 1970s, management theorist Peter Drucker suggested that top executive compensation should be 20 times the amount of the average worker’s pay.
The Controversy of Executive Compensation
Executive pay continues to be a topic of conversation. A July 2017 Economy Policy Institute (EPI) survey reported that CEOs at the largest firms in America made an average of $15.6 million in compensation during 2016, or “271 times more than the annual average pay of the typical worker.” CEO pay continues to be exceedingly high and growing quicker than the pay of a typical worker…meaning less of an organization’s effort is being shared with the ordinary workers.
Concerns Surrounding Non-Profit Executive Compensation
Executive compensation is a natural concern of many in the non-profit sector. A 2011 report from the Chronicle of Philanthropy highlighted that the median pay of executives in 132 surveyed charities and foundations increased 3.8% over the prior year.
CEO Pay Controversy
In the last few months, there’s been a lot of conversation on executive pay. CNBC news reported that in 2014, “the average S&P 500 company CEO made 373 times the salary of the average production and non-supervisory worker in 2014.” This is an increase from the 331 times the salary average in 2013.