Executive Management Remuneration 2026: What Public-Sector Companies Need to Know and Address Now
New PwC study shows: Market-aligned remuneration, governance and pay transparency are becoming a shared management responsibility
Frankfurt, 24 August 2026 – Competition for qualified talent is intensifying. At the same time, expectations regarding transparency, traceability and governance in remuneration are rising. PwC’s new study “Remuneration in Public-Sector Companies 2026 – Executive Management and Management Boards” shows where the market stands and which areas now require attention. The current survey covers 148 public-sector companies for the 2025 remuneration year and examines, among other things, target and actual direct remuneration, variable remuneration components, benefits and occupational pensions.
By Sandra Golla, Arne Ferbeck, Jörn Grey, Pia Pleines-Müller, Jannick Dietz and Lisa Friederichs
EU Pay Transparency Directive – From Regulatory Requirement to Rewards Agenda
The deadline for implementing the EU Pay Transparency Directive expired on 7 June 2026. Companies should make targeted use of the current interim period to prepare for the forthcoming national requirements.
However, Germany still has no national implementing legislation. A ministerial draft was originally announced for early 2026 but has yet to be published. An expert commission appointed by the Federal Government to develop a “low-bureaucracy implementation” of the Directive submitted its final report in autumn 2025. The report, however, does not present a unified position, and the stakeholder groups involved hold differing views on key issues, as reflected in several dissenting opinions.
By Sandra Golla, Arne Ferbeck, Jörn Grey, Pia Pleines-Müller, Jannick Dietz and Lisa Friederichs
PwC study: DAX CEOs receive 18% higher target compensation
Median rises to €6.386 million. Variable compensation remains dominant, while women continue to be underrepresented in top executive positions.
Frankfurt, 24 September 2026 – PwC Germany has published its latest study on management board and supervisory board compensation at DAX 160 companies for the 2025 reporting year. The analysis shows that total target compensation for CEOs has continued to rise across all indices examined. At the same time, performance-period-based disclosure under section 162 of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG) (Interpretation 2) remains the prevailing market standard. It provides a more transparent link between performance delivered and compensation and thereby improves clarity for investors and other stakeholders.
The study provides companies with an up-to-date market basis for compensation benchmarking, appropriateness reviews and the further development of their compensation systems.
By Sandra Golla, Pia Pleines-Müller, Jannick Dietz and Lisa Friederichs
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