The TUC has launched a new service which enables employees to uncover facts about the company they work for.

All the information is already in the public domain – usually in annual reports filed at Companies House – but the TUC has brought details of shareholders, profits and losses, directors’ pay and staff pay and pensions together in an easily searchable database.

The database on workSMART – the TUC’s working life website – covers 7,000 companies employing millions of staff.

Employees can use the site to compare their own pay with company directors. When they enter what they were earning five years ago the site tells them how much they would be being paid if their earnings had increased at the same rate as that of their top bosses.

Following a brief trial with information on a small number of companies the ‘your company’ search tool is being launched with Companies House data brought together with detailed information on company finances from Bureau Van Dijk, staff representation from Labour Research Department, pay comparisons from PayWizard.co.uk, executive pensions from TUC Pensions Watch and charity activities from Guidestar UK.

TUC assistant general secretary Kay Carberry said: “Most employees in the country will now have freedom to get important information about their company with the click of a mouse rather than digging through company reports.

“Company finder also enables job seekers to check out a firm before interviews or accepting a post. The TUC will continue adding to this search tool to give current and prospective employees as much information about UK plc as possible.”

The ‘your company’ database is available at www.workSMART.org.uk/company