Drinagh Co-Operative Ltd
Gender Pay Gap Report 2025

1. Introduction

This report has been prepared in accordance with the Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 and associated Regulations. It sets out the differences in average pay between male and female employees across Drinagh Co-Operative Ltd for the relevant reporting period.

The gender pay gap is a measure of the difference between the average earnings of men and women across the organisation, expressed as a percentage of male earnings. It is important to note that this is not a measure of equal pay, which relates to men and women receiving equal pay for the same or similar work. Drinagh Co-Operative Ltd is committed to ensuring compliance with equal pay legislation and regularly reviews its remuneration practices to ensure fairness and consistency.

Drinagh Co-Operative Ltd employs over 250 people across a variety of key operations including milk collection, milling, retail, sales and advisory, and administration. On the snapshot date of 26th June 2025 there were 167 males and 130 females employed with an overall Mean pay gap of 18% and Median pay gap of 20%.

The gender pay gap within Drinagh Co-Operative Ltd is primarily influenced by the distribution of roles across the organisation rather than differences in pay for equivalent roles. Like much of the agricultural sector, our workforce reflects historical and structural factors that impact gender representation. The gender pay gap is also influenced by lower female representation at senior and decision-making levels. As leadership roles typically command higher salaries, this has a disproportionate effect on the mean pay gap.

As a Co-Operative, Drinagh operates on principles of fairness, equality and community benefit. Monitoring and addressing the gender pay gap supports these values by ensuring that opportunities for employment, progression, and reward are accessible to all employees, regardless of gender. The gender pay gap helps Drinagh to understand how men and women are distributed across different roles and where barriers to progression may exist it helps us make informed decisions that strengthen both the workforce and long-term sustainability.

A strong and inclusive workplace helps Drinagh Co-Operative to:

• Attract a broader talent pool, including women in agriculture and leadership roles
• Improve employee engagement and retention
• Position itself as an employer of choice in the region

This is particularly important as the sector evolves and competition for skilled staff increases.

2. Gender Pay Gap Metrics

Gender pay gap is the difference in the total hourly remuneration between male and female employees, and presented as a number of measures including the difference between mean and median hourly remuneration of all relevant male and female employees.

The mean gender pay gap is the difference between the mean average hourly rate of pay for male and female employees expressed as a percentage of mean average rate of pay for males.

The median gender pay gap is the difference between the median (mid point) average hourly rate of pay for male and female employees expressed as a percentage of median average rate of pay for males.

The percentage of employees receiving a bonus was 72% for males and 75% for females.

BIK - No employees received Benefit in Kind ("BIK").

3. Pay Quartiles

Pay quartiles represent average pay rates ranked and split into 4 quarters, highest to lowest. The percentage of males and females in each quartile are then presented.

4. Addressing Our Gender Pay Gap

Drinagh Co-Operative Ltd recognises that reducing the gender pay gap is a long-term commitment that requires sustained action across recruitment, development, and leadership representation. We are committed to building a more diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve and strengthens the future of our stakeholders.

To address the underlying drivers of the gender pay gap, Drinagh Co-operative Ltd is committed to examining the following: