Income gap widens as executive pay soars, Oxfam says
01.05.2026, DPA
Executive pay around the world has risen sharply in recent years, while all other workers have had less and less money at their disposal, according to an analysis by Oxfam released on Friday.
The 1,500 highest-paid corporate executives received an average of around $8.4 million last year, Oxfam, an international confederation of aid and development organizations, said.
Adjusted for inflation, that amounted to an 11% increase in executive pay compared with 2024 and a 54% rise compared with 2019, according to Oxfam.
The calculations were based on data from 1,500 companies in 33 countries from the S&P Capital IQ database, which contains information on listed and private companies worldwide.
By contrast, the inflation-adjusted average income of the global workforce stood at $17,156 last year, Oxfam said. That was 0.5% higher than in 2024, but 12% lower than in 2019.
The figures are based on data from the UN's International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Gulf crisis could push millions into poverty
The decline in the number of people living in extreme poverty despite having work has also slowed significantly in recent years.
So-called working poverty fell by an average of 7% a year between 2000 and 2019. Since 2020, that rate has more than halved to 3%.
The current crisis in the Gulf could make the situation worse, the study's authors warned.
According to the report, the UN Development Programme has warned that, in a worst-case scenario, 32 million more people could fall into poverty as a result of the Iran war.
To address the problems, Oxfam called for countries to draw up realistic, time-bound plans to reduce inequality. These should include clear targets and regular reviews.
The organization also called for taxes on the super-rich, as well as stricter rules on lobbying and the financing of political campaigns by wealthy individuals.
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