Former Thomas Cook boss Harriet Green hands £3m to charity

Move is latest fallout after two British children died at one of its holiday bungalows

Harriet Green is due bonus shares worth £10.1m (AFP/Getty)

The former Thomas Cook chief executive, Harriet Green, has agreed to donate about £3m to charity from a bonus she is due, in the latest fallout from the travel company’s handling of the death of two British children at one of its holiday bungalows in Corfu.

The tour operator has faced weeks of criticism after it refused to apologise to the family immediately after an inquest returned a verdict of unlawful killing.

It was later discovered that Thomas Cook had received compensation of £1.5m for lost bookings following the tragedy, while the family of Bobbi and Christi Shepherd received just £300,000.

Ms Green, who stepped down last year, is set to receive 7 million Thomas Cook shares in July, worth approximately £10.1m, as part of a long-term bonus. She told Reuters she would be donating one third to charity.

She said: “I am a great believer in corporate social responsibility, and this feels right to me.

“I have now reached out to the parents of Bobby and Christi Shepherd. On the basis that Thomas Cook are due to give me 7 million shares in July, I have told the parents that I will donate one third of that 7 million to a charity of their choice.”

Ms Green had been criticised over reports that she had refused to meet the Shepherds and that she launched the process of seeking damages payments over the incident in 2006 – both of which she has denied.