Access to opportunities

Acess to opportunities - cover image

Helping people find routes into education, skills and good work – especially where those things are hardest to find.

Download the 'Access to opportunities' section of the Social value and Sustainability report 2025 (PDF, 2.66MB)

Download the full report (PDF, 82.73MB)

We’re co-operating to:


•   Support equity and access to opportunities in the communities       we serve

•   Take action on social mobility, inclusion and belonging

•   Provide education and opportunities for young people

•   Enable access to food


Some 2025 highlights


Support equity and access to opportunities in the communities we serve


Since our partnership with Barnardo’s began, colleagues, members, suppliers and customers have raised £6.5m and supported over 750,000 young people.



Take action on social mobility, inclusion and belonging


Since 2021, Co-op Levy Share has seen £42m in pledges and has funded over 3,800 apprentices from diverse backgrounds.


Provide education and opportunities for young people


The Co-op Academies Trust is one of the largest multi-academy trusts serving the north of England, with 38 Academies providing an education based on Co-operative values and principles for over 20,000 students.


Enable access to food


In 2025, we continued to use surplus food and improve food redistribution. Our partnerships with Hubbub and Your Local Pantry promote sustainable and dignified approaches to reducing food insecurity, supporting over 400,000 people in 2025.