Being a sustainable business comes naturally to us

Sustainability is in the DNA of the Cooperative movement. It is also recognised globally that businesses can and must play their part in the transformation of our economies for a better future for our planet, people, partners and community.

Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equity, and solidarity, and in the tradition of their founders, Cooperative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) define global sustainable development priorities and aspirations, seeking to mobilise global efforts with common goals and targets.
We have based our sustainability framework and future reporting on the 17 SDG’s and the Cooperative values and principles.

The wording of the 7th Cooperative Principle was agreed in 1995 in the context of the international debate in the United Nations about setting sustainable development goals, so utilising the SDGs as the basis for our sustainability framework makes sense.

Doing business ethically keeps us true to our values

Every year our leadership team get together to determine the right course for the coming years.

The years following 2023 will by no means be easy. The Islands are still recovering from the impacts of the third wave of the global pandemic. Channel Islands supply lines are still disrupted from the UK leaving the Single Market and Customs Union. The climate emergency has become more urgent, not less. The costs of living for our members and colleagues are increasing faster than incomes, and there is a talent shortage in the Channel Islands.

But tough circumstances don’t push good businesses to leave behind their ethical commitments. Challenging times reveal the character that was already there. Our short-term objectives are very much focused on stabilising our food business back to a stable footing, improving our operational standards and rebuilding post-pandemic.

This will help us shift from a maintenance mindset – which was absolutely right for the pandemic years – to a growth mindset. On the foundations of doing the basics brilliantly we will deliver on our strategy – journeying towards carbon net zero, reducing plastic and reducing food waste. Consistent with this we are committed to improving the lives of people in our communities, particularly as we roll out our new and refurbished store programme. A sustainable approach to the employment and engagement of our colleagues is vital to all our strategic imperatives as we won’t deliver any of it without people.

Finally, 2023 is the year in which we launch and roll out our Ethical Decision-Making Tool. This is a world-leading initiative to embed ethics at every level of management and operations. Other businesses have done this at executive level, but we are serious about doing this across the whole of the CI Coop.

We are committed to make a real difference to the communities we serve. We have promised to put purpose before profit, giving back to our members and local communities in our Islands. Coops have been doing this for hundreds of years and we are not going to stop.

Being a force for good for planet, places, people and partners is not some new strategy for us. It in our DNA, and it’s what we meant when we said, “belonging is everything”. We are going to make a real difference because that is the expression of our deepest values of being Caring, Helpful, Positive and embracing Togetherness. So, doing the right thing is not just a thing we have chosen lately. It’s the only thing we ever could be.