Co-operative Group asks the public to help shape its future
The Co-operative Group has launched the biggest piece of research in its history by asking members of the public to give their opinions on a number of issues that will help shape the future of the 150-year old organisation.
The group is giving its customers, staff and members the opportunity to have a say on issues such as how it shares its profits, whether it should make political donations and what it could do to improve its goods and services. It will also ask what the Co-operative Group can do to help local communities.
The survey forms part of The Co-operative Group’s wider strategic review which was launched in the wake of problems seen at its bank last year when a £1.5 billion black hole was discovered. It also follows the scandal surrounding Paul Flowers, the bank’s former chairman, regarding alleged drugs offences.
Euan Sutherland, group chief executive of The Co-operative Group, said: “In recent years The Co-operative has lost touch with its customers and members and with the communities in which it operates – we haven’t been listening. As a new management team we are focused on renewing The Co-operative and the UK public will be vital to that process.”
Never Miss a Retail Update!He added: “We will be asking people up and down the country what they believe The Co-operative should really stand for. This is an unprecedented move for an organisation of the size and the scale of The Co-operative and the results will feed directly into our wider review of strategy and purpose.”
The survey will run from now until 24 March and the results will be published at the group’s annual meeting in May.
