Over two-thirds of Co-op’s suppliers have a median gender pay gap smaller than the UK benchmark, but structural challenges around representation persist, according to new research.
The convenience retailer has published its first supplier gender pay gap analysis, examining data from 237 suppliers, covering both direct and indirect.
It found its suppliers had a median gender pay gap of 6.3%, below the UK benchmark of 11.1%, and a mean gap of 7.5%, compared with a UK benchmark of 11.5%.
Co-op said while progress was being made, it found women continued to be underrepresented in senior roles, with around a third of senior leadership positions held by women on average across suppliers, against a UK benchmark of 42%.
Some organisations reporting smaller pay gaps did not yet have strong female representation in leadership, reinforcing that long-term progress depended on improving progression into senior roles, Co-op said.
The research was developed in collaboration with suppliers and in partnership with Weave Analytics, an analytics specialist focused on supply chain diversity and inclusion. Co-op said the analysis built on its wider work to promote fairness and inclusion across its supply chain.
“We know there is more work to do to close the gender pay gap, and that means looking beyond our own organisation,” said Co-op chief commercial officer Imran Rasul. “This analysis gives us a clearer view of where progress is being made across our supplier base, and where there is more to do.
“Our focus now is on working with suppliers to share practical interventions, support action planning and help accelerate progress over time. Collaboration across supply chains is essential if we are to drive meaningful change.”
Weave Analytics CEO Angharad Ross said: “Gender pay gap reporting data only tells part of the story. This work gave Co‑op a richer understanding of the factors shaping opportunities for women across its supply chain, helping identify both good practice and opportunities for collaborative action.”
Any organisation with 250 or more employees are required to report their gender pay gap data every year, with the option to produce and publish a voluntary action plan alongside it. Subject to legislation, publishing action plans will become mandatory from spring 2027.
Co-op’s own pay gap has been reducing since 2017, with its median gender pay gap currently 5.8%, and a mean gender pay gap of 8.5%. Across the the wider retail sector, figures filed with the government’s gender pay gap service in April showed Asda had the smallest mean gender pay gap for the third year in a row, standing at 6.5% in 2025/26, down from 7% in 2024/25. Ocado Retail’s, on the other hand, had grown from 12% to 14%, making it the worst-performing grocer on mean gender pay gap.
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