Central England Co-operative celebrates major leap in responsible business ranking

Posted by nathan lloyd | Published: 24/04/2017


Central England Co-operative is celebrating being awarded 4.5 stars out of 5 in Business in the Community’s 2017 Corporate Responsibility Index (CR Index).

The hard work of colleagues across the Society has resulted in its rating leaping from 2.5 stars to 4.5 stars in just 12 months, with an overall score of 98 per cent, rising from 87 per cent in 2016.

Martyn Cheatle, Central England Co-operative Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to have achieved a ranking of four and a half stars and it is a credit to the colleagues across the Society who have all played in a part in this achievement.

“Our new CR Index score is based on recognition for a wide range of initiatives and projects including the measurement of the impact our community investment has had in the areas in which we serve, sustainable procurement, training, environmental management, and supplier support.

“It also highlights our continued efforts to develop our community partnerships, help raise funds for charity, engage with young people and reduce waste.”

News of the CR Index ranking comes on the back of the Society’s pioneering Social Return on Investment report.

Central England Co-operative became the first Co-operative of its type to publish a report, which took an in-depth look at the impact of its community work.

It revealed that every £1 the Society spends on good causes is actually worth £20.50 in terms of positive community impact.

The new ranking also comes after the Society completed 12 months as Leading Co-operative of the Year.

The CR Index is the UK’s leading voluntary benchmark of corporate responsibility and provides businesses with a framework to measure, manage and integrate responsible business practice into mainstream business strategy and operations.

It also allows businesses to benchmark against competitors and to transparently communicate progress to stakeholders. 

Amanda Mackenzie, Business in the Community Chief Executive, said: “Every business should do something significant for society by being a force for good in the community, but that’s only possible if organisations are able to measure the progress they are making as responsible businesses.

“I congratulate Central England Co-operative for achieving its score and look forward to working together to create a fairer society and a more sustainable future.”
More details about the Society’s corporate responsibility strategy can be found online at http://www.centralengland.coop/society-values/social-responsibility/

Notes to editors

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with projected gross sales of £958million for 2016/17. The Society recently celebrated being named Leading Co-operative of the Year 2016 by Co-operatives UK. The Society’s principal areas of activity are food, funeral services, and property. Central England Co-operative has more than 430 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.  The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2017.
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.
Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit http://www.centralengland.coop follo,w Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

Rob Smyth – PR officer - Central England Co-operative - 01543 414140
Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop