We’re putting our colleagues in our 4,800 stores and branches at the heart of Our Ethical Plan like never before. From our enhanced volunteering programme to supporting fundraising for commuinity groups and charities, there’s lots of ways for colleagues from across our businesses to get involved with our Plan.
Employee volunteering
As part of our commitment to supporting local communities, employees are entitled to take up to two days a year to volunteer through The Co-operative Volunteer Programme.
The aim of The Co-operative Volunteer Programme is to have a quality employee volunteering programme that provides real and measurable benefits to the business, to employee volunteers and to the community.
Employees are able to volunteer individually, or as part of a team. Individual activities include running Financial Education workshops in secondary schools and mentoring young people. Team activities include developing allotments in schools and painting community centres.
Hear from some of Phil (opposite) and read Nathan's blog - just two of our colleague volunteers.
Financial education
The Co-operative Banking Group’s programme, Fit4Finance, was developed to help improve the financial skills and awareness of secondary school students. We now have more than 300 trained employees coaching students. Read more about our Fit4Finance scheme.
Booster Fund
We offer free fundraising support for staff through The Co-operative Booster Fund. For colleagues fundraising on their own, if they raise a minimum of £100, The Co-operative will donate £100 to their chosen charity. For colleagues fundraising in a team, if they raise a minimum of £400, The Co-operative will donate £400 to their chosen charity.
Case study: Phil Cooper, Nottingham
Phil is an Operations Manager who works in our Central and Eastern Area. Since 2008, Phil has been instrumental in engaging his local food store managers and staff in volunteering activities.
Through his encouragement, five local community groups and charities in the Nottingham area have benefitted from over 80 volunteers rolling their sleeves up and taking part in activities such as decorating four rooms at a Mencap home in Carlton and clearing overgrown land at Bestwood Park.
Phil says “I believe it gives a great sense of pride for all involved for making the areas in which they trade that little bit better to live in. The Co-operative really benefits from both a team engagement perspective, as managers and colleagues get to have a laugh and de-stress from their day to day routine, and from a community perspective the customers get to know what we have done and are really supportive back in stores with nice comments and thanks.”
For more information on The Co-operative Volunteer Programme, get in touch.