Co-op Group AGM 2016

On Saturday 21 May, the Co-operative Group held its AGM at Manchester Central. Members heard from Allan Leighton (chair), Richard Pennycook (CEO), Nick Crofts (president of the Members’...

On Saturday 21 May, the Co-operative Group held its AGM at Manchester Central.

Members heard from Allan Leighton (chair), Richard Pennycook (CEO), Nick Crofts (president of the Members’ Council), Lois McLure (chair of the Co-operative Young Members Board) and Stevie Spring (chair of the Remuneration Committee), among others.

Seventeen motions were voted on and the Group also revealed a rebranding, reverting to its blue cloverleaf Co-op logo.

  • The old cloverleaf logo is back at the heart of the brand. But, although less eye-catching, the changes in membership are equally vital.

    Membership gets ready for the return of the divi

    Amid all the eye-catching changes of branding unveiled at the recent Co-op Group AGM, changes were also made to that most intrinsic of co-operative elements: membership. The Group’s annual report prepared the ground for the membership changes, declaring it to be “the biggest thing to happen to our Co-op for 25 years”. The headline news was that members will receive a 5% reward for any ...

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  • Something old, something new...

    ...something borrowed, something blue The Co-op Group's new membership offering and brand re-launch is a marriage of traditional co-operative values and a member-led future. The decision to rebrand The Co-op and revert to the familiar cloverleaf logo design is the latest stage in the evolution of the Group’s identity, as it leaves the recent past behind and forges on with its planned ...

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  • A digital Co-op for a digital society

    “The future of the Co-op is digital because the future of society is digital,” delegates at the Co-operative Group’s 2016 AGM were told. But, warned the Group’s chief digital officer Mike Bracken, this “doesn’t just mean changing the logo and websites and apps, it means fundamentally redesigning the services we deliver”. Mr Bracken, who joined the Group in August after developing the ...

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  • Nick Crofts, president of the Co-op Group's National Members' Council, addressing delegates at the 2016 AGM

    Co-op Group National Members' Council elections 2016

    The Co-operative Group National Members' Council, which exists to “exists to uphold our values and principles and hold our Group Board to account”, has welcomed 24 new and returning members. For the 2016 elections, 24 seats were available for a three-year term of office, across all constituencies except the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland. An additional seat in the West Midlands ...

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  • Editorial: The Co-op cloverleaf comes back

    Retail co-operatives must become more competitive on price and rationalise unprofitable stores. This was a recommendation made almost 60 years ago by the Co-operative Independent Commission in 1958. Co-ops were faced with the threat of being too small and outnumbered by the multiples, such as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The two biggest recommendations from the commission were to ...

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  • Co-op Group raises £1.5m to help tackle loneliness

    The Co-op Group has raised over £1.5m for the Red Cross since its charity partnership began in September. The British Red Cross was chosen as the organisation’s charity of the year after almost 80,000 members and employees voted on a shortlist of three. Almost half voted for the Red Cross and the campaign to tackle loneliness in communities throughout the UK. Richard Pennycook, chief ...

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  • Chief executive Richard Pennycook addressing the AGM on 21 May 2016

    AGM hears of 'solid progress' for Co-op Group’s rebuild

    Delegates at the Co-0p Group AGM were given a progress report on its rebuild process, with chief executive Richard Pennycook reporting “solid progress” on all fronts and chair Allan Leighton telling how, in the past 12 months, the Co-op has been the most shopped food business in Britain. Mr Pennycook – who, a year before, had warned the rebuild would take three years and not be a “quick ...

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  • Return of the Co-op as Co-operative Group rebrands

    The Co-operative Group is bringing back its iconic blue cloverleaf Co-op logo, which will be rolled out across its entire business over the next few years. The move was announced during the organisation’s AGM in Manchester on 21 May, with delegates given a first look at how the logo will be used in stores and on products. The rebrand marks the announcement of changes that put membership at ...

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  • At the AGM in Manchester on 21 May, Co-op Group members voted in favour of increasing pay across the enterprise

    Motion 16: Co-operative Group aims to take the lead on Living Wage

    The Co-operative Group plans to increase colleague pay, taking into account hourly rates recommended as a living wage by the Living Wage Foundation. At their annual general meeting in Manchester members voted in favour of a motion encouraging the Group to “take further positive steps on colleague pay”. The Group is already paying the National Living Wage, which was introduced as a legal ...

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  • Gavin Shuker is “proud of the leadership [in Fairtrade] shown by the co-operative movement”

    Motions 14, 15 and 17: Co-operative Group members vote for sustainability

    At the Co-operative Group AGM, members voted to support sustainability, Fairtrade and co-operation among co-operatives. The motion was put forward by the Group’s council to emphasise the importance of ethics and sustainability for the business. The council has been working with the business to review its performance against ethical and sustainability targets. The meeting called on the ...

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  • Motion 13: Group members vote for increased voice

    Co-operative Group members encouraged the executive to continue to increase members' voice. The society's members voted in favour of a motion put forward by the Members' Council at the annual general meeting in Manchester on 21 May. The motion highlighted the progress made in giving individual members a voice through formal democratic process. It also called on the board and the council to ...

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  • Motion 12: Co-operative Group members approve political donations

    Members at the Co-operative Group's annual meeting in Manchester have voted to approve political expenditure for the year commencing 1 January 2017, with the motion being carried by 78.32%. The joint motion submitted by the board and the council sought approval to cap political subscriptions at £750,000, down a quarter from last year’s £1m cap. The Group has already agreed a subscription ...

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  • Motion 11: Co-op Group approves amendments to the society’s Rules

    Members of the Co-operative Group voted to approve the amendments to the society’s Rules to allow it to appoint a fourth member nominated director. The changes were adopted at the Group's annual general meeting in Manchester on 21 May. The new rules state that the board shall comprise not less than seven directors consisting of independent non-executive directors, up to two executive ...

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  • Motion 10: Co-operative Group AGM votes to appoint new auditors

    Co-operative Group members voted to appoint Ernst and Young as the society’s new auditors. The Group’s board asked members to vote on the appointment following a tendering process. The motion was carried with 96.11%. [caption id="attachment_105718" align="alignleft" width="227"] Ernst & Young[/caption] Due to legislative changes companies are required to tender every 10 years and ...

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  • Motions 1-9: Co-operative Group AGM approves new members on the board of directors

    Co-operative Group members met in Manchester today for their annual general meeting, where they voted on a total of 17 motions. Members are asked to vote on matters covered by motions 1,2,10 and 12 every year. Motion 1 covered the receiving of the annual report for the year ending 2 January 2016, while motions 2 and 3 cover approval of the Directors’ remuneration report for the year ended ...

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