Midcounties Co-op has won Sustainability Initiative of the Year at the 2025 Grocer Gold Awards.
Judges said the retail society’s member-led plans achieved “a whole new level” of impact, praising the ambition and execution of the scheme.
Measures highlighted by the judges include cutting emissions through the installation of LEDs and new refrigeration, putting it on track for its 40% reduction target by 2026, and its support for community energy through the power tariff offered in partnership with Octopus Energy.
Supporting more than 400 community energy projects, it is the only tariff powered by 100% community energy and creates enough power for 65,000 homes.
Related: Midcounties beats its targets on climate emissions and food waste
“This award is recognition for every colleague and member who’s helped us bring our values to life,” said Peter Westall, chief values officer at the Midcounties Co-operative. “It proves that co-operatives can lead the way in creating a fairer, more sustainable society, one where business success is measured not just by profit, but by positive impact.”
In a post on its colleagues page, the society said the national recognition “is a celebration of the values we live by every day – fairness, innovation, and working together for a better future. Our winning entry, titled ‘Empowering Innovation’, reflects what we do best – being guided by our members and colleagues to take practical action, collaborate with like-minded organisations and invest in the future.”
Sustainability efforts have included:
- reduced electricity usage by 6% in the past year
- cut direct greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy usage by 39% since 2019
- installed more than 350 solar panels across selected sites with partners at Big Solar Co-op, generating over 130,000 kWh of clean energy annually.
- diverted 129,000 food items to help feed over 2,500 households through partnerships with Olio
Mike Pickering, head of sustainability at Midcounties, added: “We’re incredibly proud to be recognised on a national stage for putting our sustainability commitments into action. From cutting emissions and food waste to generating green energy, we’re showing what’s possible when businesses work with their communities and act on what matters most to their members.”
Also nominated were Southern Co-op, for using AI to help reach its ESG goals, and the Co-op Group for its Bramhope net zero transition and low carbon heating store.
The Group was also nominated for Grocer of the Year, for Online Service of the Year, for Consumer Initiative of the Year for its Co-op Live Member presale, and for Social Impact Initiative for its campaign on retail crime.
East of England Co-op was nominated alongside Retail Insight for the Waste Not Want Award, for their use of AI to cut food waste.
Meanwhile, Waitrose, part of the employee-owned John Lewis Partnership, won the Grocer 33 Service and Grocer 33 Availability Awards. Both are judged on mystery shops, assessing full baskets and availability of products, store standards and ease of checkouts. It was also nominated for Grocer of the Year, and for the Waste Not Want category.
Dairy co-op Arla was nominated for Employer of the Year.
Pictured at the award ceremony: Dave Richards, head of commercial – food; Darren Adams, head of store operations – food; Sarah Yates, acting chief operating officer – food; Jordon Clement, head of supply chain – food; and Chris Chandler, head of store support – food
