Age Works
Retirement Age Removal
The Co-operative Group has gone much further than the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations require and has removed the contractual retirement age altogether. This means that just because an employee reaches a certain age, they are not obliged to retire if they don't want to. It simply doesn't make sense to retire an employee just because of their age; all that should matter is competency to do their job and how they do it rather than misplaced stereotypes about older employees. It also means that the Group benefits massively by retaining valuable skills and experience that would otherwise have been lost.
This means that employees can now choose to continue working past 65 if they wish to do so, giving them much greater flexibility. From a pensions perspective employees will be able to continue in the scheme past 65 and it is possible to draw a pension whilst continuing to work for the organisation.
We know that we have to get the culture right to accept that all employees have something to offer the organisation, and this doesn't stop on their 65th birthday. All managers with line management responsibility have undertaken a briefing to ensure they are aware of the impact of the regulations at all stages in the employment lifecycle. To further ensure the neutrality of the selection process application forms have been re-designed so that date of birth is not visible to mangers when at the sifting stage of the selection process.
We featured an article in our internal staff magazine to highlight how the business had already benefited from a more enlightened approach to retirement age and the advantages it gave to colleagues. Jeff Entwisle is 66 and works as a driver for Funeralcare in Blackburn, he told the magazine: ‘We have a lifetime of experience to offer, and it’s a two way street, because the flexible working hours and lower levels of stress really suit my needs.’ He added: ‘You’re never too old to learn, and I’ve found out about other faiths and cultures in this role which has been amazing. I’ll carry on for as long as I can.’
Recognition 
In recognition for the work The Co-operative Group has done to ensure that all individuals, no matter what their age, are treated on ability and talent alone we were awarded a commendation by the Age Positive team from the Department for Work and Pensions. The Co-operative Group now has the title of an Age Positive Employer.
We also received an award from the Employers Forum on Age for "Best Private Sector Organisation" for our work around age. To read more please see the Awards page.
Further to this, our Graduate Development Programme recently won the AGCAS award for 'outstanding contribution to diversity in graduate recruitment' (see www.altogetherdifferent.co.uk).