Gender pay gap report
All UK employers over a certain size are required to report their gender pay gap on an annual basis. Building on our commitment to transparency and to better understand disparities across our workforce, Coventry University Group also reports on additional pay gaps, including the voluntary reporting of ethnicity, disability and sexual orientation pay gaps. This page presents our pay gap data over time, broken down by university and subsidiary level, with supporting commentary to help explain the results and inform targeted actions.
What is the gender pay gap?
Gender pay gap analyses measure the difference between the average earnings of all men and women employees in an organisation, regardless of their role or seniority. The following information is included:
- mean gender pay gap in hourly pay
- median gender pay gap in hourly pay
- mean bonus gender pay gap
- median bonus gender pay gap
- proportion of men and women receiving a bonus payment
- proportion of men and women in each pay quartile
Gender pay should not be confused with equal pay, which is about ensuring that men and women undertaking work of an equal value are paid a similar amount for that work. At Coventry University, we have undertaken equal pay audits periodically since 2009 and are confident that men and women carrying out similar work within our university are paid equally for work of equal value.
The gender pay gap doesn’t indicate a pay equity issue or an imbalance in the university’s pay structures and policies. What the gap does reflect is the current distribution of men and women across the pay quartiles, and the fact that there is an uneven distribution.
2025
Gender Pay Gap Report 2025
Size: 5 mb
2024
Gender Pay Gap Report 2024
Size: 544 kb
2023
Gender Pay Gap Report 2023
Size: 1 mb
2022
Gender Pay Gap Report 2022
Size: 140 kb
2021
Hourly rate of pay by gender
Gender pay gap data measures the difference in hourly pay of men and women in all roles across the University.
| Measurement | Coventry University | CU Group | Peoples Futures Limited (Inc thefutureworks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Gender Pay Gap | 15.10% | 5.20% | 7.9% |
| Median Gender Pay Gap | 9.80% | 3.00% | 14.20% |
Bonus payments by gender
Gender bonus pay gap measures the difference in bonus payments given to men and women across the University.
| Measurement | Coventry University | CU Group | Peoples Futures Limited (Inc thefutureworks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| % of males receiving bonus | 1.98% | 50% | 0% |
| % of females receiving bonus | 2.11% | 52.60% | 0% |
| Mean bonus gender pay gap | 65.30% | 6.50% | 0% |
| Median bonus gender pay gap | 7.0% | 4.4% | 0% |
Workforce pay data in four quarters
The proportion of women and men in each hourly rate quartile pay band. Below you can see there are significantly more women in the lower quartile, and more men in the upper quartile.
| Quartile pay band | Coventry University | CU Group | Peoples Future Limited (Inc thefutureworks) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| Upper Quartile | 55.0% | 45.0% | 39.80% | 60.20% | 40.0% | 60.0% |
| Upper Middle Quartile | 55.0% | 45.0% | 51.10% | 48.90% | 36.80% | 63.20% |
| Lower Middle Quartile | 44.0% | 56.0% | 37.50% | 62.50% | 34.70% | 65.30% |
| Lower Quartile | 35.0% | 65.0% | 22.50% | 77.50% | 37.20% | 62.80% |
Gender Pay Gap Report 2021
Size: 3 mb
Declaration
I confirm that the information set out in this report as required under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 is accurate.
John Latham
Vice Chancellor, Coventry University
Chris Raybould
Managing Director, PeoplesFuture Limited
David Frost
Director, Coventry University London
Director, CU Group
2020
Hourly rate of pay by gender
Gender pay gap data measures the difference in hourly pay of men and women in all roles across the University.
| Measurement | Coventry University | CU Group | Peoples Futures Limited (Inc thefutureworks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Gender Pay Gap | 15.3% | 8.99% | 7.85% |
| Median Gender Pay Gap | 13.7% | 3.10% | 17.3% |
Bonus payments by gender
Gender bonus pay gap measures the difference in bonus payments given to men and women across the University.
| Measurement | Coventry University | CU Group | Peoples Futures Limited (Inc thefutureworks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| % of males receiving bonus | 1.26% | 26% | 0% |
| % of females receiving bonus | 1.41% | 27% | 2.28% |
| Mean bonus gender pay gap | 66.4% | 5.10% | 0% |
| Median bonus gender pay gap | 66.5% | 1.51% | 0% |
Workforce pay data in four quarters
The proportion of women and men in each hourly rate quartile pay band. Below you can see there are significantly more women in the lower quartile, and more men in the upper quartile.
| Quartile pay band | Coventry University | CU Group | Peoples Future Limited (Inc thefutureworks) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| Upper Quartile | 57.1% | 42.9% | 50% | 50% | 41% | 59% |
| Upper Middle Quartile | 54.6% | 45.5% | 43% | 57% | 46% | 54% |
| Lower Middle Quartile | 46% | 54% | 60% | 60% | 35% | 65% |
| Lower Quartile | 28.9% | 71.1% | 42% | 42% | 32% | 68% |
Declaration
I confirm that the information set out in this report as required under the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017 is accurate.
John Latham
Vice Chancellor, Coventry University
Frank Mills
Managing Director, PeoplesFuture Limited
David Frost
Director, Coventry University London
Director, CU Group
2018 data
| Coventry University | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 16.3% |
| Median Hourly Rate | 13.7% |
| Coventry University London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 9.1% |
| Median Hourly Rate | 14.8% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 5.4% |
| Median Hourly Rate | 5.8% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 0.1% |
| Median Hourly Rate | -12.0% |
Coventry University's mean gender pay gap has increased marginally from March 2017, when it was 16.1%. The median pay gap has remained exactly the same at 13.7%. We are still in the early stages of action to address our gender pay gap and did not expect to see much change over the period of 12 months.
Our London campus, CU sites and Coventry University Enterprises (CUE) remain closer to our goal of closing the gap, and markedly better than the UK national averages. London campus has seen an increase in the average pay gap and the main reason for this is because the average hourly pay rate for male employees has increased by a bigger percentage than the average hourly rate of pay for female employees. A significant contributor to this is the inclusion of the casual workers who were employed during the snapshot period, which has the potential to skew the data. The data for 2018 included a high number of female casual workers employed as Student Ambassadors, and this has impacted the average pay rates.
Table 2
Difference in bonus pay between men and women
| Coventry University | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | 22.9% |
| Median Bonus Payment | 64.6% |
| Coventry University London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | -0.4% |
| Median Bonus Payment | 3.3% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | 7.5% |
| Median Bonus Payment | 9.7% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | Only women rec'd bonuses |
| Median Bonus Payment | Only women rec'd bonuses |
Table 2 shows the difference in bonus pay between men and women in the University Group. Coventry University's figures indicate that men’s bonuses were higher on average during the snapshot period. The large difference can be attributed to bonus payments being pro rated for part-time staff to reflect hours worked. 27% of female staff who received a bonus in 2018 worked part-time hours, compared with 11% of male staff. Therefore the figures are distorted by the distribution of men and women working part-time within the University – not by differences in the amounts awarded. That is, differences were due to the fact that bonus payments were pro rated, not because different bonus scheme rules applied. Rules are applied consistently to all staff, but a higher proportion of part-time staff are female. It is also about overall workforce distribution across all staff – because bonuses are a percentage of pay and male pay is higher, on average.
In CUE, one specific small team received bonuses. This team included just three female employees, therefore no male employees were awarded bonuses within CUE, and as such it is not possible to calculate a percentage difference in bonus payments.
Table 3
Proportions of men and women staff paid bonus pay
| Paid Bonus | Proportion of Men Receiving Bonus | Proportion of Women Receiving Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry University | 73.8% | 69.5% |
| Coventry University London | 41.0% | 43.0% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | 35.1% | 23.3% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | 0.0% | 1.6% |
The results show that similar proportions of men and women receive bonus pay across the University Group. Compared with 2017, the proportion of staff receiving bonus pay at Coventry University has increased dramatically, from around 8% to around 71%. This is due to the increase in non consolidated performance related payments under transitional CORE rules. In addition, the 2018 data includes the special 'Thank You' award which was paid to the majority of staff in 2017.
Table 4
Proportions of men and women staff in pay quartile bands
| Coventry University | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 29% | 71% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 45% | 55% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 54% | 46% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 59% | 41% |
| Coventry University London | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 38% | 62% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 37% | 63% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 55% | 45% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 52% | 48% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 27% | 73% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 49% | 51% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 56% | 44% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 38% | 62% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 46% | 54% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 47% | 53% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 39% | 61% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 46% | 54% |
Table 4 illustrates the proportion of men and women in the quartile bands, and shows that Coventry University has a higher proportion of men in the upper pay quartile (59%) and upper middle pay quartile (54%) than women (41% and 46% respectively), and that in the lower pay quartile women are represented disproportionately (71%). This distribution of staff is very similar to that reported for 2017. This is one of the reasons there has not been much of a change in the overall pay gap.
The proportions are more balanced within Coventry University London and the CU sites, though the figures indicate a disproportionate representation of women in the lower quartile (73%) at the latter.
At CUE the proportions of men and women within each quartile are much more balanced, which explains why the overall pay gap is so small.
2017 data
| Coventry University | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 16.1% |
| Median Hourly Rate | 13.7% |
| Coventry University London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 5.3% |
| Median Hourly Rate | 11.9% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 5.4% |
| Median Hourly Rate | 3.2% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Hourly Rate | 8.7% |
| Median Hourly Rate | 2.6% |
Coventry University’s mean and median differences between the hourly pay rate of men and women – 16.1% and 13.7% respectively – puts it in line with the higher education sector averages and better than the latest Office for National Statistics’ estimates for UK national averages (which are 17.4% and 18.4% respectively).
Our London campus, CU sites and Coventry University Enterprises (CUE) are closer to our goal of closing the gap. The mean and median differences between the hourly pay rate of men and women are markedly better than the UK national averages.
But these figures highlight that along with our counterparts in these sectors, a continued focus is needed to ensure we take opportunities to create a gender balance in the workforce distribution in the group.
Table 2
Difference in bonus pay between men and women
| Coventry University | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | 3.2% |
| Median Bonus Payment | 33.3% |
| Coventry University London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | 20.1% |
| Median Bonus Payment | 2.1% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | 5.5% |
| Median Bonus Payment | 10.1% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | % Difference |
|---|---|
| Mean Bonus Payment | -785.4% |
| Median Bonus Payment | -982.9% |
Table 2 shows the difference in bonus pay between men and women in the university group. CUE’s figures indicate that women’s bonuses were higher on average during the snapshot period. The unusually large difference can be attributed to different types of bonus payment being awarded. For the rest of the group, the bonuses are primarily made up of merit award payments made as part of our development and performance review process. It should be noted that the figures are distorted by the distribution of men and women across grades – not by differences in the amounts awarded.
Table 3
Proportions of men and women staff paid bonus pay
| Paid Bonus | Proportion of Men Receiving Bonus | Proportion of Women Receiving Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| Coventry University | 7.1% | 8.1% |
| Coventry University London | 31.6% | 35.2% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | 30.5% | 31.8% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | 0.7% | 2% |
The results show that a slightly higher proportion of women than men receive bonus pay across the university group.
Table 4
Proportions of men and women staff in pay quartile bands
| Coventry University | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 29% | 71% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 47% | 53% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 54% | 46% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 58% | 42% |
| Coventry University London | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 49% | 51% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 23% | 77% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 51% | 49% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 53% | 47% |
| CU Coventry, CU Scarborough, CU London | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 39% | 61% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 50% | 50% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 43% | 57% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 56% | 44% |
| Coventry University Enterprises | Proportion of Men | Proportion of Women |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Quartile (A) | 24% | 76% |
| Lower Middle Quartile (B) | 44% | 56% |
| Upper Middle Quartile (C) | 31% | 69% |
| Upper Quartile (D) | 53% | 47% |
Table 4 illustrates the proportion of men and women in the quartile bands, and shows that Coventry University has a higher proportion of men in the upper pay quartile (58%) and upper middle pay quartile (54%) than women (42% and 46% respectively), and that in the lower pay quartile women are represented disproportionately (71%). At CUE there is a disproportionate representation of women in the lower (76%) and upper middle (69%) quartile.
The proportions are more balanced within Coventry University London and the CU sites, with the figures indicating a disproportionate representation of women in the lower middle quartile (77%) at the former, and in the lower quartile (61%) at the latter.
What are we doing to address the gap?
We are committed to being open and transparent about our pay gaps across the organisation. Our annual reviews enable us to understand disparities in pay, and the factors contributing to them, and we recognise the need to take sustained action to reduce these gaps over time.
We have a number of initiatives, designed to support the progression of underrepresented groups and to promote greater representation across all grades within the organisation.
Activities Include:
- encouragement of professional and personal development through in-house programmes and qualifications designed to advance the skills of all genders, including leadership and Apprenticeship programmes, staff PhDs and a framework for professional accreditation;
- an organisation-wide Leadership Academy programme establishing a coordinated approach to developing emerging and existing leaders of all genders drawing on the expertise of diverse subject-matter experts;
- succession planning activities equipping the Senior Team to identify emerging talent supporting a more diverse leadership pipeline;
- a coaching and mentoring academy providing individualised development for all staff, supporting the development of skills and capabilities required for career progression;
- an Athena SWAN action plan to ensure our continued accreditation including a review by gender of starting salaries and development and performance review outcomes;
- ensuring staff policies are family-friendly and support accommodations to encourage women to return to work following maternity leave, and maintain a healthy work-life balance through flexible working options;
- a published performance management toolkit setting out expectations to ensure a consistent, equitable and wholistic approach with explicit guidance on counteracting bias;
- a dedicated Supporting Women’s Health Procedure aimed at retaining valuable talent by creating a compassionate, supportive and inclusive environment where issues relating to symptoms can be raised and accommodations identified;
- flourishing Women’s and Carer’s & Disability Staff Networks providing opportunities for bespoke development, peer support and a collective voice to inform organisation-level action plans;
- a dedicated Menopause resource hub for all staff and Managers taking account of intersectionality to reduce stigma and increase awareness of symptoms supporting workplace adjustments;
- a comprehensive, confidential Employee Assistance Programme providing access to information, advice and counselling support on a self-referral basis for all genders;
- openly advertising vacancies to all staff whilst ensuring recruitment processes are robust and transparent to eliminate subjectivity and bias;
- monitoring starting pay and pay on promotion to ensure fairness to all genders;
- demographic analysis of annual staff engagement survey responses to identify any variance in staff experience to inform organisation and local-level action plans;
- celebration of global equality, diversity and wellbeing awareness days to communicate the value of diversity and inclusion across all staff populations.
We will continue to review our activities to measure their impact and adapt where necessary.
