Growth and improvement helps create jobs and lands Central England Co-operative top award
Posted by nathan lloyd | Published: 15/08/2016
Central England Co-operative was named Leading Co-operative of the Year 2016 because competition judges said that it had excelled in four key areas.
Growth and improvement, community participation, employee engagement and environmental credentials were highlighted as the main reasons that the business came out on top and scooped the top award handed out by Co-operatives UK.
Now the dust has settled, it is time to take a closer look at the four key areas that impressed the judges, starting with how the business continues to grow and improve.
It is probably something that has gone unnoticed to the outside world, but nearly every single week thousands, of people are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that things never stop at Central England Co-operative.
For those who do not know, the business is one of the UK’s largest independent retail societies and has more than 430 outlets stretching from the heart of England to the eastern shore across retail, funeral and other specialist businesses.
It employs over 8,700 staff and is projecting gross sales of £958million for 2016/17.
Its financial figures show increasing profit (up 5 % on the previous year) and continued growth in food stores and funeral homes thanks to a strong asset base and long term sustainable strategy.
However, like all retailers, the business has to work hard to ensure they are at the forefront of consumer needs.
This is why the business is currently in the middle of a major food store development programme that is benefitting outlets across its trading estate in order to provide an enhanced shopping experience for its customers, and showcase the wide variety of products on offer.
Central England Co-operative is also working hard to explore new trading avenues and as a result has opened several new stores this year with even more to follow in the coming weeks and months – creating dozens of new jobs.
Chief Executive of Central England Co-operative Martyn Cheatle said:
“We are one of the largest Co-operative Societies in the UK with a modern, forward looking business employing over 8,700 people. As an inclusive and progressive society our vision is to be the UK’s best co-operative by making a real difference to our members and communities.”
Some of the most recent examples of the work undertaken in a bid to continue to grow and improve include new stores in Hempsted, Peterborough, and Kedleston Road, Derby.
These have been supplemented by revamps of existing sites including Lake Avenue, Groby, Quinton, Chaddesden, Branston, Hatton, and Duffield.
These new stores and re-launches have resulted in new jobs being created, customers walking away with prizes such as a TV to celebrate the occasion and a host of new features ranging from Costa Coffee to Bake and Bite.
The stores have also been given a spruce up in terms of fixtures and fittings and now include energy efficient refrigeration and special LED lighting – continuing the firm’s environmentally friendly efforts.
This continued revamp effort shows the commitment the business has in its future, staff and customers and just why Central England Co-operative was honoured for its commitment to growing and improving by being named Leading Co-operative of the Year 2016.
Notes to editors
About Central England Co-operative
Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with projected gross sales of £958million for 2016/17. The Society recently celebrated being named Leading Co-operative of the Year 2016 by Co-operatives UK. The Society’s principal areas of activity are food, funeral services, and property. Central England Co-operative has more than 430 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. The Society has an ambitious food store development programme for 2015/16.
Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility. It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence. The Society supports a number of charities including Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.
For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative
Rob Smyth / Jo Baldock at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140
Email –publicrelations@centralengland.coop