Gender Pay Gap Statement
Chesterfield Poultry Limited (“the Company”) is committed to promoting gender equality and ensuring fair pay practices across all areas of its operations. This Gender Pay Gap Statement is prepared in full compliance with the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2018, which requires all employers with 250 or more relevant employees to publish annual gender pay gap data, calculations, and a supporting narrative.
This statement covers the reporting period aligned with the UK statutory snapshot date for private sector employers – 5 April 2026 – with calculations based on payroll data taken on this date, as required by UK government guidance. The data presented below reflects the gender pay gap (the difference in average pay between male and female employees) and does not relate to equal pay, which is a separate legal obligation requiring equal remuneration for equal work or work of equal value, regardless of gender.
Statutory Gender Pay Gap Calculations
In line with UK legal requirements, the Company has calculated the following key gender pay gap metrics for the reporting period. All figures are expressed as a percentage of mail hourly pay, in accordance with statutory guidelines:
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Mean Gender Pay Gap (Hourly) | 8% |
| Median Gender Pay Gap (Hourly) | 7% |
| Mean Bonus Gender Pay Gap | 37% |
| Median Bonus Gender Pay Gap | 69% |
| Proportion of Males Receiving a Bonus | 29% |
| Proportion of Females Receiving a Bonus | 7% |
Pay Quartile Analysis
As required by UK law, the Company has segmented its workforce into four equal pay quartiles (lower, lower middle, upper middle, and upper) based on hourly pay rates, to illustrate the distribution of male and female employees across pay bands. The breakdown is as follows:
| Pay Quartile | Percentage of Male Employees | Percentage of Female Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (1st Quartile) | 55% | 45% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (2nd Quartile) | 72% | 28% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (3rd Quartile) | 64% | 36% |
| Upper Quartile (4th Quartile) | 84% | 16% |
Context and Explanation of the Gender Pay Gap
Chesterfield Poultry Limited operates in the poultry production and processing sector, which has historically had a gender-segregated workforce. The gender pay gap identified reflects structural factors common to the industry, primarily the distribution of male and female employees across different roles and levels within the Company – rather than unequal pay for equal work, which the Company strictly prohibits.
The pay quartile analysis highlights that female employees are overrepresented in lower and lower middle pay bands, which correspond to roles in processing, packaging, and administrative support –roles that are traditionally female-dominated in the poultry sector. In contrast, male employees are overrepresented in upper and upper middle pay bands, which include technical, managerial, and engineering roles. These roles typically require specialized qualifications or experience, and there is a
lower representation of women in these areas across the industry as a whole.
The bonus pay gap and the difference in bonus receipt rates are similarly linked to role distribution. Bonuses are more commonly awarded to employees in managerial, technical, and production supervision roles (which have higher male representation, with 29% of male employees receiving a bonus), while roles with higher female representation (e.g., processing, administrative support) have a significantly lower bonus receipt rate (7% of female employees). This aligns with industry norms but
is an area the Company is committed to addressing, particularly given the substantial mean (37%) and median (69%) bonus gender pay gaps identified.
Company Commitment to Reducing the Gender Pay Gap
Chesterfield Poultry Limited is dedicated to reducing its gender pay gap and promoting gender diversity and inclusion. We recognize that a diverse workforce drives innovation, productivity, and employee engagement, and we are committed to creating equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of gender. To achieve this, we have implemented, and will continue to develop, the following actions:
- Inclusive Recruitment: Reviewing job descriptions and recruitment practices to eliminate unconscious bias, actively advertising technical, managerial, and engineering roles to female candidates, and partnering with organizations that support women in meat and agricultural industries to increase the pipeline of female talent for senior and specialised roles. We are also developing our menopause support for those women facing this period in their lives to ensure
they receive support to stay in work, return to work and continue to suffer less in this regard. - Career Development and Progression: Implementing a structured career development program open to all employees, with targeted support for female employees to access training, mentoring, and promotion opportunities into senior roles. This includes leadership training programs and reverse mentoring schemes to address underrepresentation of women in management.
- Flexible Working Arrangements: Expanding flexible working options (e.g., part-time hours, job sharing) to support employees with caring responsibilities – a group that is predominantly female – enabling them to pursue career progression without compromising work-life balance.
- Bonus Structure Review: Conducting a review of our bonus eligibility criteria to ensure that roles with higher female representation are included in performance-based bonus schemes, and that bonus metrics are transparent and fair across all roles.
- Gender Diversity Training: Providing mandatory unconscious bias training for all managers and recruitment teams to raise awareness of gender stereotypes and promote inclusive leadership practices throughout the organization.
- Regular Monitoring: Continuing to monitor our gender pay gap data annually, in line with UK statutory requirements, and reviewing the effectiveness of our actions to ensure progress is being made. We will publish updated data and actions each year to maintain transparency.
Compliance and Accuracy
This Gender Pay Gap Statement has been prepared in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2018 and UK government guidance. The data presented is accurate and based on payroll records from the statutory snapshot date of 5 April 2026, covering all relevant employees (177 male employees, 81 female employees, totalling 258 staff) as defined by the regulations. Agency workers, contractors, and board members are excluded from the calculations, in line with statutory exclusions.
This statement is signed by an appropriate senior officer of the Company, confirming the accuracy of the data and the Company’s commitment to reducing the gender pay gap.
Signed
Name of Director: Jane Chen
Approved by the Board of Directors of Chesterfield Poultry Holdings Limited