Co-op Campaigns

Co-op Campaigns

Our Co-op was founded to address social injustice and we continue to use our influence to campaign on those issues that matter most to our members and their communities. In 2023, we engaged with the development of public policy across an enormous breadth of issues with the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations and continued to engage with elected representatives across the UK and all political parties.

Through our three advocacy campaigns, we campaign with and for our members on public policy issues they care about. 

In 2023, we continued to campaign for Climate Justice. Tackling the climate crisis must be an urgent priority for governments around the world, but we all – including every business and sector – have a part to play, which is why we were delighted that our CEO was invited to co-chair the UK Government’s Net Zero Council.

Despite having seen legislation in the Scottish and UK Parliaments to tackle violence against shop workers come into force in 2022, an increase in the level of crime, including violence and abuse directed at our colleagues during 2023, lead to the reinvigoration of our Safer Colleagues, Safer Communities campaign over 2023.  With our members’ backing, we are proud to say that this led to the creation of the first National Police Chiefs Council Retail Crime Action Plan. 

As the award-winning Co-op Levy Share scheme continues to go from strength to strength, our work to champion Social Mobility has accelerated further in 2023, through action such as making the case for the Equalities Act to be extended to make socio-economic background as a protected characteristic. We were recently successful in persuading the Government to allow large employers a greater % of unspent apprenticeship levy funds – up from 25% to 50%.