Editorial
Editorial
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CommunityMember Pioneers: Connecting communities
What is the aim of the Co-op Group's Member Pioneer scheme? Plus we meet two of the first recruits...
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RetailThe time is now for co-op business to lead the way on ethical advertising
Co-operatives have an opportunity to be innovative leaders in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Over the past year, a spotlight has been shone on issues that should be of concern to co-operatives, providing the impetus to...
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AgricultureWorld’s first Fairtrade nut-farming co-op celebrates tenth birthday
One of the biggest Fairtrade success stories in recent years is Liberation Foods, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2017. It was founded by Twin – the Fairtrade charity famed for setting up Cafedirect and Divine Chocolate....
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RetailAutomation: What does the future of retail look like?
As automation plays a growing role in the retail sector, co-operatives are exploring the opportunities and challenges brought by technological developments. Retail automation can be described as using various devices and technologies to automate operations to lower costs...
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CommunityOur view: How co-operatives can take advantage of the Trump presidency
Citizens of the world have hit back at the political elite in quick succession this year. Some of this can be traced to the 2008 financial crisis, after which people showed real anger towards Wall...
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EconomyOur view: New technologies can ensure co-operatives are the true alternative
Co-operatives are the alternative business model. Yet, as businesses, we play the same game as profit-driven/shareholder-owned companies, which can have negative effects. In terms of legislation we want an equal footing, but when it comes...
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CommunityEditorial: Rediscovering the common purpose of co-ops
Is our lack of co-operation stymieing the growth of our movement? Do we need to rediscover our common purpose? At this month’s International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec, many outsiders to our co-operative world told...
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BusinessJoseph Stiglitz proposes co-op models as an alternative to trickle-down economics
A changing political landscape and economic challenges mean we are witnessing “interesting” but “unsettling” times, warned economist Joseph Stiglitz at the International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec. The Nobel Prize laureate was a keynote speaker at the three-day...
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Editorial: How much is a stake in your co-op worth?
Members are the most important part of a co-operative. Without them, we are nothing. One of the difficult questions a co-op needs to answer is how it engages with its members. It is a given that...
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CommunityNIMBYism, co-operatives and Germany’s Energy Transition
The number of energy co-operatives in Germany has grown from eight to over 800 in a decade – the sector has 160,000 members and now accounts for 10% of all German co-ops. One of the reasons...