Midcounties Co-op has hailed “a major milestone” in its flagship pledge to grow the co-operative economy.
Since announcing its commitment in May 2022 to help create 50 new co-ops by May 2027, the society says it has supported the formation of 31 new co-operative and community-owned businesses across its trading area.
The retailer backed the start-ups through funding and by connecting new co-ops with existing ones for guidance and mentorship.
It says the ”pioneering initiative” has been a key part of its “member-led strategy which advocates fairness by giving communities greater control of the businesses which serve them”.
Developed in partnership with the community business support charity Plunkett UK and development agency Co-operative Futures, the pledge is supporting co-ops of all kinds, from community-owned pubs and shops to creative spaces and sustainability projects.
The society says that “each of these businesses reflects that value of fairness but also Midcounties’ other core principles of collaboration and long-term community impact”.
New businesses include Cutteslowe Greenhouse, a revitalised space for community activities and horticulture in Oxfordshire, and Makespace Oxford, which turns vacant buildings into thriving hubs for grassroots organisations.
Related: Co-op Futures joins project to boost social economy in Oxford
In Stroud, Gloucestershire, Batcom (main picture), a community composting co-op is tackling food and garden waste in areas where council services can’t reach.
With the Labour Party pledging to double the size of the co-operative and mutual sector in its election manifesto, Midcounties says it is forging ahead with helping even more co-operatives.
As part of the latest Action Plan from Co-operative Futures, the year ahead will see further support for fledgling co-ops including pilot care co-ops and expanded community hubs. The society is also providing direct funding, business mentoring and representation on partner boards.
Peter Westall, chief values officer at Midcounties, said: “In this landmark year, we’re showing how co-operative principles including fairness, mutual support and democratic control can create a better, fairer future for everyone. This is about helping community access equal opportunities and we’re proud to be working with likeminded organisations to turn those values into real, practical solutions for the communities we serve.
“We believe all communities should be given fair chance to establish co-operatives which can ultimately serve them. After all, co-operatives are almost twice as likely to survive as other start-ups, and we believe their people-first values make them a powerful force for fairness in local economies.”
Midcounties says it is also committed to supporting communities and giving fair opportunities through additional programmes. This includes the society being a member of Bright Future Co-op, which helps create fairer job opportunities for survivors of modern slavery.
It also leads the Fairer Futures Programme, in partnership with social enterprise Miss Macaroon, which addresses issues such as food justice, education and social mobility across its trading regions. In its first year alone, the programme helped 18 young people into work in its own stores and at businesses including Ikea and South Staffs Water.
The society adds that its work with community energy providers like Younity – a joint venture with Octopus Energy – is scaling the impact of clean energy.
“With over 360 supported projects,” it says, “Younity is now helping power more than 65,000 homes with green electricity and gives customers a fair opportunity to benefit from greener tariffs. Through initiatives like these, Midcounties is embedding fairness, sustainability and empowerment across all its operations.”
