• membership
• member democracy
• your representatives
• The Group Board

The Group Board

How the democratic structure works

The Board of Directors is the highest tier of our democracy. After serving a minimum of 24 months on a Regional Board, members can stand for election on to the Group Board. The Group Board comprises 20 directors, of whom 15 are regional board members. Each region has at least one representative on the Board of Directors.

The remaining Group directors are representatives of independent consumer
co-operative societies, who are corporate members of the Co-operative Group. These independent co-operative societies act as a separate constituency to The Co-operative Group regions and elect five directors on to the Group Board.

The Group Board's responsibility is to provide strategic leadership, and to hold management to account. The Board is also commercially, legally and morally responsible for members’ assets. In turn, it is the responsibility of management to meet the Society’s strategic objectives.  

Find out more details of the newly elected Group Board representatives

Find out more details of your Group Values & Principles Committee