Social Responsibility

Ours is a Co-operative business and as such we integrate corporate sustainability into all aspects of what we do. This includes the goods we supply, our contributions to the community, minimising our environmental impact, involving our members and providing a first class working environment for our colleagues.

To achieve this, we make a commitment to:

• Maintain a high standard of ethical behaviour
• Actively work on the reduction of our carbon and waste footprints
• Provide responsible leadership
• Develop sustainable programmes which positively impact on our communities
• Raise awareness and understanding of corporate responsibility with our key stakeholders
• Develop a more robust corporate responsibility performance management system
• Embrace and support diversity, engaging with the diverse communities we serve
• Be open and honest about our progress

We are committed to developing this agenda by sharing ideas with, and be willing to learn from others. Our aim is to improve the way in which we inform, involve and engage with our stakeholders as we make this journey.

To view our 2010 Social Responsibility report please click here

Our success will be measured by keeping our colleagues, members and customers aware, involved and enthused.

Our Steering Wheel ensures the effective balance of commercial and social goals

Co-operative Values and Principles guide our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.
These are:

Our co-operative values

• Self-help - we help people to help themselves
• Self-responsibility - we take responsibility for, and answer to our actions
• Democracy - we give our members a say in the way we run our businesses
• Equality - no matter how much money a member invests in their share account, they still have one vote
• Equity - we carry our business in a way that is fair and unbiased
• Solidarity - we share interests and common purposes with our members and other co-operatives.

Our ethical values

• Openness - nobody's perfect, and we won't hide it when we're not
• Honesty - we are honest about what we do and the way we do it
• Social responsibility - we encourage people to take responsibility for their own community, and work together to improve it
• Caring for others - we regularly fund charities and local community groups from the profits of our businesses

Our principles are the way we put our values into action

• Voluntary and open membership - membership is open to everyone
• Democratic member control - all members have an equal voice in making policies and electing representatives
• Member economic participation - all profits are controlled democratically by members and for their benefit
• Autonomy and independence - co-operatives are always independent, even when they enter into agreements with the Government and other organisations
• Education, training and information - co-operatives educate and develop their members as well as their staff
• Co-operation amongst co-operatives - co-operatives work together with other co operatives to strengthen the co-operative movement as a whole
• Concern for community - co-operatives also work to improve and develop the community, both locally and internationally