Make a Difference with Central Co-op’s Membership & Community Council and Board Elections
Posted by sam bishop | Published: 31/01/2023
Central Co-op has announced that nominations are now open for the Society’s Board of Directors, along with the Membership & Community Councils (MCCs) that make a difference in local communities across their trading estate.
Nominations are open between Tuesday 31st January and Wednesday 22nd February. The voting process opens from 6th April and closes on 2nd May at 12 noon before results are announced on 5th May. Voting is open to all eligible members who hold a £1 share in the Society have done so for at least 6 months.
The Board of Directors at Central Co-op play a pivotal role in directing the Society, and there are several positions available in the various regions Central Co-op trade in. The Board shapes the strategy of Central Co-op and ensures it upholds co-operative values throughout its activities, in line with the purpose of creating a sustainable Society for all.
Membership & Community Councils (MCCs) are made up of Members who want to make a difference in their communities at a local level, helping to run and plan events alongside the Society. This includes collaborations with schools, good causes, community groups, and much more, helping to drive change where it matters most.
In the past year alone MCCs have helped a number of great initiatives in their communities, including Safe Gigs for Women, a volunteer group fighting for women’s safety at concerts, as well as The Big Green Week, where Central Co-op showcased electric hearses, Fairtrade products, and more.
This year there are 30 vacancies – 23 Member positions and 7 Employee member positions – across Yorkshire, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western, so there are plenty of chances to get stuck in on the ground.
Andrew Seddon, Society Secretary, said: “The elections are a great way for Members to not only get their voice heard, but also to make their mark by standing for election to both the Board of Directors and the Membership & Community Council. These positions help drive change for the Society and ensure that we’re doing everything we can to make a difference in our communities, so we always like to welcome new faces.”
For more on elections, please visit the election site. For further details, head to the Central Co-op website, Facebook, and Twitter.
About Central Co-op
Central Co-op is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK, with a heritage stretching back over 175 years and interests in food, funeral, floral and property investment.
Owned by hundreds of thousands of members, its 7,700 colleagues serve customers across 440 plus trading sites in 19 counties in the East and West Midlands, Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.
Its purpose is to create a sustainable Society for all.
It actively campaigns for food justice and works with FareShare Midlands and a network of local food banks. It also adds £1 to every Healthy Start Voucher redeemed in store and supports six schools in partnership with Magic Breakfasts.
The Society embraces inclusivity and equality and is a signed-up member to the Business in the Community (BITC) Race at Work Charter. The Society is also a member of Diversity in Retail and it is fully committed to addressing the impacts of climate change by reducing carbon and food waste, increasing recycling and investment in community Sustainable Spaces funded by the carrier bag levy. It recently launched its Malawi Partnership to support farmers and producers in the country through the Co-operative International Trading Development Fund.
It invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities through its Community Dividend Fund scheme which has seen over £109,769.25 shared out between 121 good causes in 2022.
Press office contact: Sam Bishop, PR Specialist
Contact details:
sam.bishop@centralengland.coop
07385 048048