Co-op Executive Awarded £101,373 in Landmark Equal Pay Case
A senior female executive at the Co-operative Group has secured a significant victory in a major equal pay case, receiving over £100,000 in compensation after being unfairly paid less than her male colleagues. Samantha Walker's decade-long legal battle highlights persistent gender pay disparities in corporate leadership roles.
Unequal Grading and Pay Discrepancies
Samantha Walker was employed by the Co-operative from March 2013 until her notice period ended in April 2017. Initially appointed as director of group HR strategic projects, she earned a salary of £190,000 with a £50,000 bonus after receiving an 'outstanding' performance rating in late 2013. Following a colleague's unexpected departure, she was promoted to group chief HR officer in February 2014, with a proposed base salary of £500,000.
However, this was later reduced to £425,000 during restructuring meetings, a decision Ms Walker said she 'pushed back a little' against because she was newly promoted. The justification cited 'varying levels of skill and experience within the executive team', with increasing her salary to £500,000 deemed 'excessive'. Notably, five of the seven executive roles were held by men, though a third woman joined when the team expanded to eight.
Independent Assessment Contradicts Company Claims
An independent assessment by the Hay Group in January 2015 found that Ms Walker's role was as high or higher than other male executives within the company. Despite this, in a 2015 feedback form, then-chief operating officer Richard Pennycook scored her 100% on nine of 22 questions and rated her higher than she rated herself on 11 questions.
Yet, in February 2016, Mr Pennycook emailed the group chairman with executive summaries for 2015, grading Ms Walker as 'partially achieving' – the second lowest available grade. Two male colleagues also received this grade. He summarised by saying, 'overall disappointing year for Sam, reflected in the grading'. Ms Walker argued this process was 'unfair, unreasonable and disregarded her contractual entitlements'.
Raising Grievances and Legal Action
Ms Walker contended she was dismissed for raising grievances about women earning less. In December 2015, she discussed with Mr Pennycook the possibility of going part-time like other executives but with no pay change, to be 'recognised and valued alongside my male peers'. Mr Pennycook later 'categorically confirmed' she never raised concerns about a gender pay gap or equal pay at the executive level.
She filed a grievance in June 2016, which was rejected in 2017. Ms Walker then made headlines in 2018 by successfully bringing an equal pay and unfair dismissal claim against the Co-op at an employment tribunal in Manchester. The tribunal upheld her claims of unfair dismissal, equal pay, and sex discrimination, though dismissed other complaints including disability discrimination and protected disclosures.
Lengthy Compensation Process
Incredibly, it took almost ten years since leaving the company for her compensation to be settled. The newly published judgement awarded her £101,373. This case underscores the protracted nature of such legal battles and the challenges in addressing pay inequality in high-level corporate positions.
The outcome serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for transparency and fairness in executive compensation, particularly regarding gender equity in the workplace.
