Co-op launches new Colleague Promise to build a fairer, more consistent experience for 54,000 colleagues

22 July 2025

Co-op has launched a new Colleague Promise, shaped directly by the views of its 54,000 colleagues and designed to bring greater clarity, fairness and consistency to every stage of working life at Co-op.

The Promise brings together everything Co-op offers its people in one place – across wellbeing, development, inclusion, ownership and recognition – and sets out how these commitments show up across the colleague lifecycle, from recruitment to reward.

Co-op describes the Colleague Promise through three pillars:

  • A Place with Purpose – where you are an owner, with a say in how things are run, opportunities to support your community, and a share of the profits when you help the business grow

  • A Place you’ll Belong – where you are welcomed and included, cared for inside and outside of work, and empowered by supportive leaders

  • A Place you can Thrive – where Co-op supports your physical, financial and mental wellbeing, and gives you the tools to own your development and career

Research played a pivotal role in the development of the Colleague Promise. It revealed that inclusion and belonging are among Co-op’s greatest strengths as an employer. Notably, over three-quarters (82%) of colleagues felt that Co-op is a place where people from diverse backgrounds can succeed, and over half (58%) said that their team or the colleagues they work with are the best part of working at Co-op. These findings were instrumental in placing belonging at the heart of the new Promise as one of its three core pillars.

While many organisations treat their EVP as a recruitment marketing tool, Co-op’s Colleague Promise is designed for both current and future colleagues. It aims to strengthen the link between the colleague experience and Co-op’s co-operative difference – helping colleagues connect their everyday roles to the wider purpose of the business.

The Promise was created through months of nationwide listening and co-creation, including colleague focus groups, engagement forums, and internal surveys. It draws on insights from external talent partners including Indeed and Glassdoor, and builds on the “Owned by you. Right by you.” brand launched in 2024.

Co-op will now embed the Promise across its people strategy through:

  • A range of new recruitment and employability tools for hiring managers and internal candidates
  • A measurement framework to track progress and hold the business to account
  • A ‘People Excellence’ workstream to act on colleague feedback and improve delivery
  • A UK-wide programme of colleague roadshows across depots and offices

Claire Costello, Chief People and Inclusion Officer at Co-op, said:

“Our Colleague Promise is all about creating a better, fairer and more consistent experience for everyone who works at Co-op. It defines what we stand for as an employer and reflects our difference as a co-operative – one where colleagues are also owners and play a vital role in how we run our business.

“It’s been built with our colleagues, for our colleagues – and as we bring it to life across the organisation, it will help colleagues feel more connected to each other, give them a greater pride in the jobs they do, and more confident in the support they can expect.”

Co-op hopes the Promise will support colleague engagement, internal mobility and long-term retention. It will also underpin new employer brand campaigns across all areas of the business – using real colleague stories to bring the offer to life.

ENDS

About Co-op

Co-op Group is one of the world’s largest consumer co-operatives, operating across food retail, funerals, insurance, and legal services. Owned by over 6 million active member-owners, Co-op exists to meet their needs and champion the causes they care about.

With more than 2,300 food stores, 800 funeral homes and a wholesale business supplying around 6,000 additional outlets, Co-op employs 54,000 colleagues and generates annual revenues of over £11 billion. It is a recognised leader in ethical business and community-led programmes, creating long-term value for members and communities across the UK.