Managers' Conference - Team Talk

For The Midcounties Co-operativeEditor: Angela CranfieldEditorial Assistant: Charlotte BransonGraphic Design: Ben McPheePrint services: Joanna LeechContact Team TalkEmail: teamtalk@midcounties.coopText: 07794 219315Call us: 01926 516340Write to: Team Talk, Co-operative House,Warwick Technology Park,Warwick, CV34 6DATeam Talk is published byThe Midcounties Co-operative Design Studio,printed and distributed byHickling and Squires LimitedUnit 1/Moorgreen Ind Park, Engine Lane, NewthorpeNottingham, Nottinghamshire NG16 3QUPhone: 01773 536400www.hickling-squires.co.ukEditorial opinions expressed in this magazine are notnecessarily those of The Midcounties Co-operativeLtd. The Midcounties Co-operative Ltd does notaccept responsibility for the content of any thirdparty websites.The contents of this magazine may not bereproduced without permission.Thank you to everyone who has helped with theproduction and distribution of Team Talk. Withoutyour input this wouldn’t be possible.Editor’s letterWelcomeAs we hurtle towards the end of the year manythings are drawing to a close. The InternationalYear of Co-operatives, which has featured inevery edition of Team Talk this year, will soonbe coming to an end but it will be going outwith a bang thanks to the Co-operatives Unitedexpo event in Manchester and a range ofinitiatives aiming to create a legacy for the year–including burying time capsules. Find out more on page 14.We’ll also be saying farewell to our partnership with Women’s Aid at the beginning of 2013.It seems hard to believe that the two-year partnership is coming to a close already! Butnever fear, we’re already on the hunt for our new charity partner for 2013/14. Have your sayon who it should be through your Colleague Council rep – turn to page 21 to find out how.But even with the nights drawing in there’s still plenty to look forward to. At the Managers’Conference, your manager found out a little about our exciting range of new colleaguebenefits. Savvy Sam can’t wait to tell you all about it so look out for communications comingyour way soon!Things are looking positive for Midcounties in a financial sense too. A quick glance atpage 16 will let you know that our sales are up by 12.5%, with particularly strong growthin Childcare, Travel and Energy. Our Social Responsibility Report has also recently beenreleased – you can see what a difference we’re making on page 28.Have a wonderful autumn.Angela CranfieldEditorThe Midcounties Co-operative is your localaward winning co-operativeCR INDEX2012 PLATINUM BIG TICK2012AWARDEDCover story: The Managers’ Conference,page 22-23Team Talk 3

Onwards and upwardsCongratulations to our 2010 graduates on gaining permanent positions around the business.Laura Roper is now a Local Controller, developing ethical sales within our Food Retail Group;Martin Ivory is a Project Manager within our Energy Group and Michael West is now Admin TeamLeader within our PSG Group. Well done!Service Recognition August - October 2012Congratulations to everyone who has received a service recognition award. Unfortunately there’s not space to include everyone in themagazine but here are some of our longest-standing award winners.FoodThere are some fantastic serviceachievements from Food this quarter,with Carol Guest from Stourport reaching40 years, David Griffiths from Penkridgereaching 45 years and Christine Harrisfrom Pattingham reaching 30 years’service.TravelCongratulations to Dawn Withers fromBloxwich who achieved her 20 yearmilestone in August.FuneralCongratulations to Angela Berry fromSeymour Road on achieving her 20 years’service this autumn.ChildcareWell done to Lydia Ampomah fromMaida Vale who hit her 10 yearmilestone in September and Emma Coxfrom Reading hit her 15 year milestonein August.SupportRobert Richens, District Manager for District 3 celebrated 35 years’ service in August.PharmacyA celebration is in order for AndreaBurgoyne from Hill Top Pharmacy forreaching 20 years and Nicola Trim fromLydney for reaching 25 years’ service.Post OfficeBoth Selena Ford from Manor Lane andMaureen Myers from Alvechurch Roadare celebrating 15 years, while BarbaraHands in Post Office Administration wascelebrating 20 years’ service.Customer feedbackThese customer letters show how much our great customer service is appreciated. Keep up the good work and it could be you featuredin the next edition!Fairford LeysMy wife and I are regular customers toyour store and would like to give somepositive feedback regarding a memberof your staff. Although all of your staffare courteous, we feel that one particularmember of staff should be recognised forhis excellent customer service skills.Damian is always friendly and polite in hisapproach and conversation. He helps packour bags with exceptional care and pointsout goods on offer when he is aware ofthem. We feel he should be put forwardfor an employee award as his service ishighly efficient.Bicton HeathI would like to thank you for all your hardwork with donations helping on sports daysand the Christmas fair at The Priory School,Bicton Primary School and Oxon School. AtOxon School you managed to raise £2,900,which will be used to buy books andequipment for the children.Church StrettonThe staff at your store worked throughoutlast year under difficult conditions whilebuilding work was being carried out. Theywere uncomplaining and cheerful at alltimes despite the disruption. The new storeis a credit to them and the managers, and itis so pleasant to shop there, everyone is sofriendly and helpful. Please let them knowthat we all appreciate them!Team Talk 11

The InternationalYear of Co-operativesOctober sees the Co-operatives United event kick off in Manchester, an event thatcelebrates the International Year of Co-operatives as we prepare to say goodbye to thismonumental year. Throughout 2012, co-operatives around the world have been going theextra mile to promote the co-operative difference. The year will leave a lasting legacy forco-operation, with the birth of new co-operatives, the development of existing ones and agreater knowledge all round of what makes co-operation great.The future’s brightYou may have heard about Co-operative Futures, a businessdevelopment consultancy specialising in co-operative and communityled businesses. Midcounties is the founding member of Co-operativeFutures, offering financial support and advice. Co-operative Futuresensures that new co-operative ventures are set up with soundbusiness and marketing plans, and they have the right legaland governance arrangements in place. Its heartlands covermuch of the same area as Midcounties, including Oxfordshire,Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire,Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire,Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Walsall.Co-operative Futures, which began in 1999, now has over 50members whose businesses they have helped in some way, rangingfrom the Thames Valley Farmers Market Co-operative to the Wotton Electric Picture House.Co-operative Futures offers a lifeline to co-operative ventures that might otherwise struggle to getoff the ground.Setting the IYC in stoneThe year may be coming to an end, but colleagues from our Masonry business havebuilt a commemoration to the year that will last for generations. A statue, celebratingthe International Year of Co-operatives was unveiled at our Warwick head office thissummer.It is based upon the IYC logo and was painstakingly crafted by mason ChrisWilkinson, who spent three weeks working on it at The Midcounties Co-operativeMemorial Masonry centre in Walsall. Peter Hackett from our Highworth Masonrydid the hand letter cutting of the inscription. The idea was to create a joint venturebetween the two Masonry sites to build a statue that all colleagues can enjoy foryears to come.14 Team Talk

Remembering IYCSo, as the IYC draws to a close, we remember the moments that have made this year so special...The year kicked off on 12 January, the official UK launch, and at Midcounties we held events at six sites across our trading heartlandsto celebrate.Our 2011 Member of the Year winners took part in a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Magara in February, a village in Tanzania. Here theyhelped with the renovation of a primary school and set up lasting links with the school including setting up a pen pal programme withone of our partner schools.Later in the year we celebrated Fairtrade Fortnight in style, hosting many events over the two weeks and engaging with over 10,000members. The events, which ranged from a fashion show to talks from a Ugandan Fairtrade coffee grower, served to highlight theimportance of Fairtrade.During Co-operatives Fortnight we held 45 events with otherco-operatives, engaging with over 11,000 members. In honour ofthe International Year of Co-operatives, we hosted a CommunityFun Day at St Nicholas Park, Warwick.We invited colleagues, members and co-operators fromaround the world to send us images of their co-ops. Wethen uploaded these to our Flickr and Instagram pages tohighlight the diversity of co-operation. We also used theimages to create a co-operation collage, which we will beshowcasing at the Co-operatives United expo.To inspire young people, we worked with our five partner schools to bury time capsules to capture theco-operative difference for the next generation.We have just counted and verified the votes for our Member of the YearAwards 2012. The awards are an important opportunity to recognise ourmembers who go that extra mile for their communities in the spirit ofco-operation.This October, six colleagues travelled to Quebec to attend the International Summit of Co-operatives.They discussed a variety of topics, including how co-operatives can maintain productivity and profitabilitywhile staying true to co-operative values.Di Bateman, Head of Membership Engagement, said, “I would like to say a big thank-you to colleaguesfor helping to make this year so special. It has been an extraordinary year for the Membership team andit’s the dedication and support from colleagues that has helped make each event so successful.”Calling on all co-operatives to uniteAt the Co-operatives United event in Manchester between 31 October and 2 November, we will be celebrating the impact ofthe IYC with co-operatives from around the world. At the event, co-operatives will be attending to showcase what they haveachieved in the special year, and share with likeminded people a passion for the co-operative way of doing business. At the event,Midcounties will be displaying a special piece of artwork, which incorporates photographs of co-operatives around the world intoa fantastic collage of co-operation. Our Energy, Childcare, Masonry and Co-operative Flexible Benefits businesses will also beexhibiting at the event.Team Talk 15

Half Year Report round upWe’ve just published the 2012 Half Year Report, which has been doing the rounds at the Half Yearly Meetings. Here you canfind a brief round up of the half year results.Overview• Gross sales have increased by 12.5% from £388 million to £436 million• Our operating profit before significant items of £10.4 million is slightly ahead of 2011• The performance in the half year has increased the Society’s net assets by £4.6 million to £170.3 millionFood• Our Food business has performed well in the face of increased competition, achieving a like-for-like sales increase of 1.9% in a verydifficult trading environment• Overall sales are 5.2% above last year which has been achieved through continued growth with the acquisition of Harry Tuffins andthe opening of a further four new stores in the first half yearTravel• With the investment in and expansion of the Travel Group, which is now operating independently, sales have grown by 39.8% to£72.3 million• Our Travel business now operates 50 branches since acquiring the Travel Angels business in Somerset and a number branches from theThomas Cook/Co-operative Travel joint venture• We are working to develop a stronger online presence by developing our cooptravel.co.uk websiteEnergy• We welcomed 27,000 new customers as a result of our success in the Which? Big Switch auction, bringing the total number ofcustomers we supply to over 50,000• Energy sales have grown to £10.7 million from just £0.5 million last year• In our first year 100% of the energy supplied came from green sources, including community-owned wind farmsPharmacy• The government’s drive to reduce expenditure and increase efficiency in the distribution of prescription medication has resulted is salesfor the first six months being in line with the same period last year, despite a 3.1% increase in the number of prescriptions dispensed• The Group has also launched a new Co-operative Pharmacy website - cooppharmacydirect.co.uk which allows customers to ordertoiletries and medicines• We developed a hub site to service our new cooppharmacydirect.co.uk business and our new Amazon storedrive to reduce expenditure and increase efficiency in the distribution of prescription medication has resulted is salesnths being in line with the same period last year, despite a 3.1% increase in the number of prescriptions dispensedo launched a new Co-operative Pharmacy website - cooppharmacydirect.co.uk which allows customers to ordericinesub site to service our new cooppharmacydirect.co.uk business and our new Amazon store16Team Talk

Childcare• With the acquisition of a number of nursery chains we now operate 49 nurseries – making us the seventh largest childcare provider inthe UK (by number of child places)• Childcare sales have grown by 39.7% to £10.0 million from £7.2 million last year• The business has also welcomed a team of Little Pioneers – five mascots that each has a story relating to the Rochdale Pioneers orother leading co-operative figuresFuneral• We have introduced a webcam at our Banbury funeral home to allow family members to view a funeral even if they cannot attendin person• Our recently launched Co-operative Memorials facility in Walsall hosted an open day in March, to showcase our skilled craftsmenat work• To promote the masonry business the team is creating a set of short films to show the journey from the initial contact with the siteto the fixing of the memorialEmployee Benefits• Employee Benefits sales have grown by 4.2% compared with last year to £16.4 million• Our Employee Benefits business now offers nine benefits with the introduction of a new health and wellbeing benefit• The team has set up a payroll giving scheme which supports employers by offering a salary sacrifice scheme for colleagues wishing todonate money to charity on a regular basisPost Offices• Post Offices sales at £1.7 million are down on last year as a result of a reduction in the number of offices following the disposal of theNews Express stores last autumn• Despite the slight fall in profitability compared with 2011 the remaining estate of 74 offices continues to achieve good profit levels• We have been working to ensure that all sites have the equipment and facilities they need to do their job effectivelyGross sales£m50040030020010004363793873753882008 2009 2010 2011 2012Operating Profit before Significant Items*£m1211.710.3 10.41088.07.564202008 2009 2010 2011 2012Net assets£m200180173 1721701651501005002008 2009 2010 2011 2012*Operating profit before significant items in 2008, 2009 and 2010 is calculated as trading profit as per the half year report for each year adjusted for the Co-operative Group corporate dividend receivedTeam Talk 17

Business newsLighting up BroadwayA new convenience store at The Broadway, Stourbridge, has created 30 jobs in the area and to celebratethe opening, children from a local pre-school were invited to cut the ribbon. All children who attended theevent were given a goody bag for their efforts, including snacks, books, pens, crayons and toy animals.Store Manager, Jim Stuart, said, “It was a great day and really nice to get the children involved. We hadalmost 1,000 people attend our opening and the reception was very positive.” Available at the store is anextensive range of convenience goods and a selection of fresh food.The opening of The Broadway follows the recent opening of our new store in Oxford Road, Kidlingtonwhich has created 16 jobs.Childcare is growing upOur Childcare business has been growing and now boasts a total of 49 nurseries. The businessacquired three new nurseries from the City of Wolverhampton College and one nursery in Walsall.Metro One in Bilston Street, Paget Road and Wellington Road Nurseries will offer a total of 101 placesbetween them. The jobs of their 42 existing staff have been secured. Each will be rebranded andrefurbished as part of a phased investment programme.The former Early Birds Nursery in Lichfield Road,Walsall Wood, has also joined the Group.Packer & Slade celebrates 20 yearsPacker & Slade Funeral Service in Cirencester celebrated its 20th anniversary of being withof Midcounties this summer. The Society invested in the premises and the Chapel of Rest wasconverted and extended to provide a reception area, office, kitchen, arranging room and two Chapelsof Rest, together with modern mortuary facilities.Bron Betteridge (pictured centre left), Senior Funeral Director at the branch, said, “I’ve seen a lot ofchanges over the years but working with the families of Cirencester, to help and guide them throughwhat must be one of the most difficult times of their lives, is something that has remained constant. Ithas been a privilege to be able to do this and something I will never tire of.”Travel is fabulous at 50Travel has purchased eight branches in the South West of England to bring its total estate to a milestone 50 branches. The acquisition of theTravel Angels sites in Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset will build on links with Bristol Airport and is part of Travel’s expansion programme toidentify key independent businesses. The branches will continue to trade under their existing name and the jobs of all 35 people based at thesites have been secured.18Team Talk

Payroll GivingCo-operative Flexible Benefits (formerly Co-operative Employee Benefits) has addedanother string to its bow after launching its Payroll Giving Benefit, making us the firstco-operative to offer such a service. Payroll Giving allows donors to make regular orone-off donations to charities of their choice directly from their earnings, company orpersonal pension. Donations are taken from salary or pension earnings before Income Taxis deducted. This means that donors are given tax relief on their donation immediately - andat their highest rate of tax. This, as well as all the other Flexible Benefits, is available tocolleagues. So, if you’re interested in giving to a good cause directly from your pay, or if youwould like more information, visit www.employeebenefits.coop or call 0800 458 7929.A perfect score for EnergyCo-operative Energy has achieved a perfect score for its renewable energy mix. Ofthe electricity provided to our customers in the year ending March 2012, 100% wassourced from renewable generators, such as wind, hydro and biomass. The 100%achievement has been reached in the business’ first year of operation.In achieving the wholly renewable fuel mix our Energy business, which launched in May2011, has exceeded its low carbon target, namely to supply electricity containing lessthan half the national average of carbon by April 2012.With honoursChief Executive, Ben Reid, has been presented with an honorary degree by the University of Wolverhampton for championing socialenterprise in the region. Ben has become a Doctor of Letters, and was bestowed with thehonour at the university’s congregation at The Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton, in September.The honour was presented by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Geoff Layer. ProfLayer said, “We are proud to award honorary degrees to people like Ben Reid who havemade an outstanding contribution to their field of expertise. As people who have striven toreach the pinnacle of their profession, they offer inspiration to our graduates as they collecttheir own awards throughout graduation.” As well as being awarded this honorary degree,Ben was also earlier this year shortlisted in the Midlands Entrepreneur of the Year awards.Co-operating co-operativesOur Pharmacy business now offers malaria prevention medication over-the-counter in selected pharmacies, previously only availableon prescription from GPs. This has also been a great opportunity to create a link between our Pharmacy and Travel businesses. Whena customer books a holiday through one of our Travel branches located near a pharmacy that offers the service, specially trained travelagents can now advise them on what sort of malaria medication they may need and point them in the direction of a Co-operativePharmacy. Our Pharmacy Group has also been looking at ways in which they could work alongside other Midcounties’ businesses,such as Childcare and Co-operative Flexible Benefits – so watch this space!Team Talk 19

DemocracyNews from our Membership teamWe’ve been doing so much to support Women’s Aid so we’re letting our members know all about it in NovemberEvents2 – 16 NovemberDuring November we will be celebratingour charity partner, Women’s Aid. We willbe telling you how your contributions havehelped so far and what you can do to ensurethe organisation’s good work continues.1 – 15 DecemberIt’s that time of year again, and we will behosting a range of festive events, includingfestive food tastings and carol singers, to getyou in the mood for Christmas. We will alsobe attending Pelsall’s Christmas market.1 – 25 JanuaryWhy not make a resolution to get fit thatyou will keep in 2013? We’ve got HealthRoad Shows to give you some tips, withan in store chef showing you how to makehealthy and delicious meals that won’tbreak the bank.NOVEMBER2 November – Wem8 November – Cinderford9 November – Codsall16 November - CainscrossDECEMBER1 December – Christmas market, Pelsall7 December – Carterton14 December – Kingswinford14 December – Thame15 December – Old Town15 December - KidlingtonJANUARY11 – Franche Road18 – Carterton25 – SedgleyEnvironmentally friendlyDuring August we gave colleagues, members and customers the chance to learn aboutsaving money on their utility bills at Energy Roadshows across our trading heartlands.Representatives from our Energy team were on hand to offer comparisons as well asenergy saving tips. A number of local green organisations also attended, to offer theirknowledge and expertise to the local community. Bicton Heath was just one of our storeshosting an event. Store Manager, Clive Bosel, said, “We were delighted with the number ofpeople that came along to support the event, which we hope has raised awareness of howresidents can play their part in helping the environment.”20Team Talk

Who will be your new charity partner?Your Colleague Council reps will be out and about chatting to you about who you would like as your next charity partner. The Societypartners with one charity for two years and our time with Women’s Aid is coming to an end in February 2013. We have whittleddown the potential charities and we now want you to decide which out of these two finalists you would like to dedicate your time to.Colleague Council reps will be using your feedback to cast a majority vote for your site - remember, this is everyone’s decision so makesure you get your voice heard!Whizz KidzWhizz Kidz’s aim is to ensure that every disabled child has a chance to have achildhood. It provides essential mobility equipment so that young people canlead fun and active lives. It provides equipment for young people up to the ageof 18 and services up to the age of 25.The facts:• Virtually all of Whiz-Kidz’s income comes from donations. They aim to raise around £5 million each year.• There are currently 65 children currently waiting for a wheelchair in our trading heartlands - raising £150,000 in our first yearwould remove 63 children from that list.• To date, Whizz-Kidz has helped over 13,000 young people.To find out more, ask your Colleague Council Representative or visit www.whizz-kidz.org.ukTeenage Cancer TrustTeenage Cancer Trust is the UK’s only charity devoted to improving the lives ofyoung people with cancer aged 13 to 24. Their main objectives are to fund and buildspecialist cancer units in NHS hospitals across the UK, to significantly improve thediagnosis experience and outcomes for young people with cancer and to educateyoung people about cancer, cancer prevention and healthy living, while empoweringthem to take control and push for early diagnosis.The facts:• Teenage Cancer Trust receives no government funding and relies on donations. It’s totalincome last year was £12 million.• The average cost of a Family Support Network session is £200 and the average cost ofa Youth Support Co-ordinator is £30,000.• By the end of the partnership, we’ll be able to provide specialist support to over 800young patients, 12,000 friends and family and 120,000 young people at school.To find out more, ask your Colleague Council Representative or visitwww.teenagecancertrust.orgMember of the Year 2012The votes have been counted and verified and your Member of the Year 2012 winners are being announced atthe Half Yearly Meetings. Member of the Year offers members an opportunity to celebrate those who have goneabove and beyond for co-operative values. We invited all members to nominate someone who they think is ashining example in their community. We received over 160 nominations including 50 colleague nominations,with four being shortlisted as finalists. The four colleague finalists were Clive Bosel from Bicton Heath food,Jenny Rust from Merry Hill food, Claire Rutland from Franche Road pharmacy and Sally Anne Lynham from Cainscross nursery.Congratulations!The names of the winners will be posted on www.midcounties.coop/membership/moty at the beginning of November, so if youmissed the Half Yearly Meetings, log on to find out who won!Team Talk 21

OpennessNews from Colleague Councils, Usdaw and CommunicationsManagers’ ConferenceThe third Managers Conference took place in September and the 630 managers from around the business got stuck into the serioustask of ‘making a difference’.The conference began with a rousing reminder of the key achievements from the business in the lastyear – everything from maintaining our place in the Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies to Work Forlist to celebrating Walsall Wood nursery joining Burton in being named Outstanding by Ofsted.The day was structured slightly differently this year, with the Group General Managers each presentinga topic for conversation and explaining why it mattered to the business. These topics were thenthrown out to the floor for the Management Development Teams, seated together, to discuss their ownthoughts and ideas. At the end of each session managers each had a set of actions to take back totheir site to put into action with their colleagues.22Team Talk

The key topics were:• Communication and saying thank youThank you packs were distributed to encourage a thank you culture and managers were invited to think of other ways to showappreciation for the work colleagues do.• Living our DOES ValuesHow do managers bring the values of DOES to life for colleagues? Whether that may be nominatingsomeone for a DOES award or encouraging teams to become more involved in volunteering.• Having more fun at workCreating a fun working environment can not only enthuse colleagues but can make customers feelwelcome and involved – how can management infuse fun into the workplace?• Inspiring othersWhat do you find inspirational? Discussing what inspired managers about others helped to providetips for becoming more inspirational in their leadership style.The day also acted as an introduction to the new You at Work benefits package we’re launching tocolleagues later in the year, which will provide money off at a range of high street stores. Savvy Sam,the new Your Benefits character, also helped to spread the word about the many other varied benefits of working for Midcounties.Managers were asked to feed back the key information from the conference to their colleagues so if youhaven’t been told about it, don’t forget to ask!Inspiring othersThe keynote speaker for the day was Kanya King MBE, founder of MOBO AwardsKanya, who comes from humble beginnings, believed so strongly in her desire to set up an awardsevent to celebrate music of black origin that she overcame a raft of opposition, including her ownmother doubting her career choice, to launch the MOBO Awards. The hard-working entrepreneurwas keen to share the tips she learnt on the road to success with us.Kanya’s seven ‘P’s for success• Passion - You have to believe in what you’re trying to achieve• Personal power - Know what drives you and makes you want to make things happen• People - Surround yourself with positive people - having a positive attitude means morethan having the right education and background• Problem solving - Problems are ‘feedback from reality’ – they’re telling you need to goback and look at something again, tweak it and make it better• Personal network - Meet people with a similar passion and set about building relationshipswith them – you never know when they’ll be able to lend a hand• Prioritisation - Focus on the key activities that will help you achieve success• Persistence and perseverance - Never give up – the harder you work the luckier you get!Childcare Deputy Managers ConferenceChildcare has hosted its first Deputy Managers Conference over two days in September. Theconference follows two successful conferences for managers held by the group. The idea behindthe conference was to inform Deputy Managers about what is going on in the Childcare businessand the Society, so that all management teams within the nurseries are up to date.Sam Newman, Childcare Customer Services Manager manager, told us, “The activities includedteam building challenges such as high ropes, indoor caving and laser challenges, which was areally good ice breaker and opportunity for the deputy managers to meet each other. This wasfollowed by more serious matters. Everyone had a good time and the initial feedback was that thewhole event was really useful and worthwhile.”Team Talk 23

Visit essential ski ls on the intranet for Diversity Training DatesEqualityNews from the Diversity teamDiversity in the co-operative movement – raceWe move on to the final feature of diversity in the co-operative movement and in this edition wehave been looking at a co-operative that addresses different issues of racial and cultural diversity.Many co-operatives exist to support and improve the livelihood of different ethnic groups, while encouraging a community feel.Maracuja is a perfect example of this kind of co-operation. A community bistro set up by local people in Rochdale - cited as thebirthplace of co-operation – Maracuja aims to provide Rochdale residents with the chance to taste healthy multi-cultural food anddiscover African culture through art and live entertainment. Maracuja encourages visitors to mix with and respect each other andbelieves in creating real community empowerment opportunities for Rochdale residents, with top priorities including facilitatingtraining opportunities as well as supporting the local residents through regeneration of the area. Maracuja is a perfect example ofdiversity in co-operation, bringing people from all walks of life together, to share experiences and culture, and break down divides.Of course, all co-operatives strive to address diversity and provide opportunities for all, and here at Midcounties, our Race Diversityteam is constantly looking at ways we can incorporate racial awareness into our business. We now offer funerals tailored to differentfaiths and through our masonry services can provide gravestones engraved in a range of different languages. We also offer a range ofethnic foods and foreign language newspapers in stores where there is a requirement.Diversity campaignYou should have recently seen the Marketing Implementation Team’s Diversity campaign, with rollerbanners and posters provided to sites and messages sent direct to home addresses to let youknow all about what we’re doing to support diversity within the business. The mailer contained acompetition to win a Kindle and the amount of entries has been staggering.Diversity was also a strong message at the Managers’ Conference, as Ben Reid spoke aboutfinding ways to remove any barriers to women progressing within the business. Diversity thereforeremains high on the agenda for the Society.WHAT ISDIVERSITY?For more informationTalk to your Diversity Champion Click on www.midcounties.coopRecognising and valuingeveryone’s differencesThe Diversity team is a group of colleagues that focus on four key areasAGE • DISABILITY • RACE • GENDERWhy is Diversity important to Midcounties?We want every colleague, customer and member to feel welcomeand valued and able to contribute to the success of our businessWe stock a range of ethnicfoods in appropriate storesCo-operative Travel have specialist advisors,for those with a disability who wish to travelDiversity in ActionFunerals can be provided for any member of thecommunity regardless of their beliefsOur pharmacy branches work withCo-operative Xest to supply disability aidsThe Society has introduced a dedicated Maternity and Paternity Co-ordinator24Team Talk2012 is the International Year of Co-operatives

Diversity teams jump into actionEach of our Diversity teams took part in a community challenge as part of a Diversity Awareness Project that reflected their key areasof age, race, disability and gender. Here is a little about what each of the teams got up to…AgeA team of eight from the Age Diversity team redecorated the lounge at Green Pastures Christian Nursing Hometo make it more welcoming for elderly residents. Team Leader of the Age team, Peter Lockey said, “We believein giving back to the communities we trade in and we were delighted we could help out at Green Pastures.”Anthea Speich, Home Bursar for Green Pastures, said, “We run our service as a not-for-profit charity and relyheavily on help from volunteers. We really appreciate Midcounties’ help. The team completely transformed ourlounge making it a lovely place for us all to do our work. They have helped to boost staff morale and reallylifted our residents’ spirits.”RaceThe 11 volunteers from the Race Diversity team cleared rooms and installed shelving at BK.Luwo, a groupbased at East Oxford Community Centre. The group offers sewing and knitting classes along with computerskills for female refugees. They also provide dancing events and host story-telling sessions to share tales fromtheir homelands, so they can live on through the generations.Volunteer Anne Nicholls, part of the Race team, said, “The rooms look super and everyone worked really hard onthe day. It felt fantastic to help such a worthwhile cause and the group really appreciated their revamped rooms.”DisabilityA team of 13 volunteers brought an overgrown garden back into shape at Agnes Court, a residential home for24 physically disabled adults run by Leonard Cheshire Disability. At Agnes Court, Volunteer Co-ordinator SusanWoodward appreciated the practical assistance from the Disability Diversity team of volunteers.Susan said, “It was fantastic. Our garden was so overgrown and they managed to tame it. They worked reallyhard and also found time to chat to some of our residents.” Paul Ingram, Deputy Leader of the Disability FocusGroup, said, “It gave us an opportunity to help a charity which does so much good work and to show our ownvalues in action.”GenderA team of eight volunteers from our Gender Diversity team spent the day with patients and carersat St Giles Hospice giving manicuresas well as soothing head, shoulder and foot massages andbeauty goodie bags, all accompanied by calming music and a selection of cakes and tea. Therewas also a beautician to give makeovers.Jennifer Goold, Team Leader of the Gender team, volunteered at the hospice. She said, “Theteam really enjoyed spending time getting to know the some of the patients and their families. Itwas important they felt they’d had a special day and the team worked hard to ensure there wasthe perfect, tranquil atmosphere.”Team Talk 25

Social ResponsibilityNews from our Community and Environmental teamsExternal LightEnsure that timersare set correctlyfor external lightsAir CurtainOnce this has been set updon’t be tempted to altercontrol settings.Chiller ShelvesAvoid overfilling chiller shelves, the coldair spills out and is wasted if the aircurtain is interruptedShutdown proceduresUse the shutdown procedureto avoid unnecessaryequipment being left onFront DoorsBroken autodoors allow £££’s ofenergy to escape if not repaired quicklyAppliancesMake sure that all non essential officeequipment is turned off at the plugMonitors & PrintersTurn off monitors, printers,and photocopiers whennot in useNight BlindsMake sure all nightblinds are used onrefrigeration casesWindowsAt night, close all windowsto retain heatBWSCheck your BWSchillers are at 8COvensIf production hasfinished for the dayturn them off. Youcan always turnthem back on againAir Conditioning UnitsCheck they are set to 21C. Any more orless will simply cost the store moneyShop LightingRemember to turnoff all possible lightswhen closingLights OffTurn off lights in unoccupied roomsFix Leaking Taps/PipesLosing water = losing moneyKettleOnly boil what you needKitchen AppliancesTurn off kitchen appliances whennot in use. A microwave usesenergy when left on at the mainsPlastic Chiller StripsDon’t be tempted toremove theseBack DoorKeep shut as much as possibleRecycleRemember to use the correct binsfood travel pharmacy childcare energy post office funeralcareemployeebenefitsDoing things betterThe Environmental team has been hard at work recently, encouraging colleagues to do their bit and help defend the environment. Thisyear, the Society has a target to reduce energy consumption by 5% and recycle 60% of all waste. That’s a big goal, and if we reach it,will be a fantastic achievement for our business.It is down to all of you to keep up the good work and go that extra mile for your environment. You may have received one of the newEnvironmental Packs, which contain communication material to help us achieve our environmental goal. The packs have already beendistributed to all Retail branches and during the next couple of months the Environmental Team, together with the EnvironmentalSteering Group, will be presenting at different trading group meetings and the packs will be distributed at these meetings.The pack contains:- A simple energy reduction diagram which is bespoke to each trading group, such as the Food Retailexample shown above- A recycling poster helping colleagues to identify which bins to use for their waste- Environmental stickers which colleagues can place on or high-energy consuming appliancesAs well as this, all retail sites have also been provided with a store shutdown procedure, helping colleagues to see where they canhelp to save energy when they’re not even at work!Keep an eye out for what YOU can do to help defend our environment!26Team Talk

School is in sessionWe provide volunteering opportunities at many schools in our trading heartlands, but we also have five partner schools that we workwith, in the hope of creating longer lasting links and improving the prospects of the students. By supporting these schools we canspread our message of co-operation and help to build a more co-operative society from the ground up.Our Co-operative School Trust model enables schools to set themselves up as co-operatives. They follow co-operative values and usea membership structure to engage parents, carers, pupils, teachers, staff and the local community. Business in the Community believethat the most effective way for business to support young people facing social disadvantage is to form long-term partnerships with theschools.• Sutherland Business and Enterprise College, Telford is a Co-operative Trust School and we have been working with them since2008.• Our partnership with Grace Academy, in Darlaston began in 2009 and we are partnered with this school through Business in theCommunity Business Class.• Our partnership with BITC Business Class school, Campion School, Leamington began at the start of 2012.• Churchfields Academy, Swindon is a BITC Business Class school and we have been working with them since 2011.• South Gloucester Learning trust is a Co-operative Trust school and we have been working with them for three years.Case studiesSummer funAs well as all the work we do helping Sutherland with its eco garden, we alsosupported The Summer Fair at the school this summer. A total of 18 colleagues fromFood Retail, Childcare, Membership, Community and Travel volunteered on this dayto support the school. We also had a fundraising presence at the event, raising over£200 for the Margara School in Tanzania and Women’s Aid as the event fell duringCo-operative Fortnight. It was a huge success with over 700 hundred people attendingfrom the local area.Amazing artWe recently offered Btec Art students at the Grace Academy the chance to gain some work experienceby setting a project for them to get involved with. The students visited our Waterfront offices and werecommissioned to produce artwork to be displayed permanently in the offices. The students had to meet aspecific brief with a deadline and a set budget to give them experience of life as a commercial artist. Theoriginal aim was to choose three pieces but we were so impressed by the students’ talent and the effortthey had made that we decided to take all seven. All received prizes as a thank-you.Eco-friendly educationColleagues volunteered to host a World of Work day at Campion School, where approximately 60students became Midcounties Consultants to help us get the message to our colleagues that we allneed to reduce our environmental impact. Each team gave a presentation to a Dragons’Den style panel which included Janet Warren, a member of our Environmental SteeringGroup. The winners were the Economic Energisers team with their ‘Make a Change’campaign.Team Talk 27

Social ResponsibilityNews from our Community and Environmental teamsSocial Responsibility Report 2011/12A true co-operative organisation is socially responsible. While many businesses are keen to be seen as being socially responsible,co-operatives have been operating for the good of their members, colleagues, communities and the environmentsince the co-operative movement was born. It’s just the way we do things.Social GoalsWe have identified a number of Social Goals for our business to aspire to achieve. The goals are broken down into four keyareas; defending the environment, supporting our communities, developing links with co-operatives across the world anddeveloping young people. Here are just some highlights from what we’ve been doing to address these goals.Defending the environment• We now have over 800 solar panels providing electricity to our Warwick HeadOffice and Food stores in Lydney, Cinderford and Cainscross• We increased our recycling rate to 50% by 2011 year end by 2011 year endthrough initiatives such as dry mix recycling and sending our food waste toanaerobic digestionSupporting our communities• During our first year of partnership with Women’s Aid, we managed toexceed our target of £100,000 by raising £170,000. We also collectedaround 28,000 signatures for the Real Man pledge.• We increased the amount of colleagues participating in volunteer activity to 51% and in total;colleagues volunteered a total of 32,595 hours last yearDeveloping links with co-operatives across the world• Our Society pledged £155,000 to the newly created Global DevelopmentCo-operative to support co-operatives that find it difficult to access loansfrom traditional banks.• Every year, members of Midcounties vote to give some of their profits toCo-operative Futures. We use this money to provide advice to new andemerging co-operatives that would not otherwise be able to accessspecialist support.28Team Talk

Developing young people• We now have a total of five partner schools: Sutherland Business & Enterprise College in Telford, SouthGloucestershire Trust in Tuffley, Campion School in Leamington Spa, Churchfields School in Swindon and GraceAcademy in Walsall• We delivered a series of workshops in schools to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol misuseEngaging with our colleagues and membersOur colleagues are vitally important to the success of our business and we are constantly looking at ways we can improveyour working life, including our wellbeing initiatives and offering colleagues a variety of learning opportunities.• We provided 106,000 learning hours to colleagues across the Society in 2011• We launched the UK’s first Funeral Customer Service NVQ• We created the Colleague Guide to Wellbeing and this was sent to every colleague’s home address• Events such as the BIG Conversation and improved communications have seen the colleague engagement indexscore improved by one point from 75 to 76More reasons to be proudHere are some other highlights from the report that help to make us atruly socially responsible business:• We have now introduced Diversity Awareness training to ourManagement Development Programme, which teaches managersabout the difference between equality and diversity, as well as how tounderstand current legislation relating to diversity• The number of apprentices joining our Apprentice Programme grewfrom 13 in 2010 to 52 in 2011• Local Harvest sales have grown from £5.8 million in 2010 to£6.3 million in 2011. Therefore, sales were increased by 7.9%• Last year, 3,037 volunteering hours were in support of environmentalactivityYou can read the full report byvisiting the intranet and clicking on thePublications tab. If you would prefer aprinted copy, please call ourMembership Hotline on0800 435902.Team Talk 29

Social ResponsibilityPhoto round upA whopping 26 colleagues fromvarious Groups came together topaint the exterior walls of a BorderCollie Trust rescue centreColleagues from CIT helpedto restore garden benches atCastel Froma Specialist CareCentreColleagues from our Shipston-on-Stourstore regularly help out at Shipston DogsTrust, sorting donated items at thecharity store30Our Tividale store held a fun day toraise funds for the Magara School,Tanzania. All the fun managed toraise £420!Team TalkSome colleagues from LossPrevention helped with some muchneededpainting at the EveshamDogs TrustSome of the girls from Finance tookon a community challenge at aStratford women’s refuge

Your BenefitsDELIVERYDoing things betterFINANCEBeing financially strongReducing WasteSaving EnergyWorking SafelyImproving ProfitsUsing our Assets BetterImproving A tendanceImproving Branch StandardsHandling Complaints BetterGrowing SalesReducing ComplaintsTrading with MembersIncreasing ComplimentsPutting customers firstCUSTOMERSCo-operating to make a differenceSupporting our CommunitiesCO-OPERATIONPromoting Co-operationCreating Loyal CustomersActing Ethica lyWorking together as Team MidcountiesBeing an Employer of ChoiceProviding Opportunities for allCommunicating e fectivelyPerforming at our BestPEOPLEIn this issue we explain salary exchange and let you know about the pensions autoenrolment changes that will be coming into play soon.Understanding salary exchangeThere are lots of benefits available to you through salary exchange but what does salary exchange really mean? Here is an example of what salaryexchange is and how it can be used to save you money!Salary exchange, also know as salary sacrifice, is designed to save you money. It is simply exchanging a part of your salary for something else, such aschildcare vouchers or a prepayment scheme. As the money is taken from your pay before tax and National Insurance (NI) are deducted you won’t pay taxand NI on that money, which lowers the overall amount of tax you pay on your earnings.Here is an example:Stevie earns £1,000 each pay day working 39 hours each week (£6.41 per hour). We cannot exchange our pay below thenational minimum wage of £6.19* (age 21 and over) so this leaves £34 per 4 weeks that Stevie can exchange.Instead of paying Norton after-school club by cheque Stevie exchanges £34 for childcare vouchers each pay day and by doingthis, saves £11 in tax and NI. This £143 per year saving in tax contributes towards toys for Christmas!Q. Can this affect your pension, maternity pay and tax credits?A. Yes so you should spend some time reading scheme information so you can make a decision.Learn more on the intranet or contact your.benefits@midcounties.coop for more information.*Effective from October 2012Understanding Auto EnrolmentYou might have seen information in the media and on television about auto enrolment into pensions recently. Here’s what it’s all about.The government wants to help colleagues build up savings for their pension when they retire. So, all employers will soon be required to put their colleaguesinto a pension scheme if they are not already in one. This means that, as of April 2013, if you’re not already saving into the Society’s CARE or Stakeholderpension scheme, if you are over 22 but under State Pension Age and earn more than £8,105 a year, then the Society will put you into a pension schemecalled NEST – the National Employment Savings Trust.It also means that you will have to make savings into NEST – these will be made direct from your pay and the Society will contribute to your savings as well.If you don’t want to save for retirement you will be able to opt out of NEST. We will be writing to every colleague in January to make sure you have all theinformation you need.You can find out more about the government’s plans now at:www.direct.gov.uk/workplacepensionIf you’ve got a question on the Midcounties pension schemes you can contact the Pensions team32Team Talk

Take a breakIt may still seem quite far away, but the festive season is fast approaching and it won’t be long before you’re writing out thatChristmas list once again – and once again marvelling at how expensive it is! So, to make your life a little easier we’re giving onelucky reader a £100 Co-operative voucher to put towards the Christmas shop. All you have to do is spot the five differences below.CODE: CHILLYSudokuPuzzle over this numbers game over a cup of tea.This one’s just for fun!6 1 73 1 85 21 64 5 6 8 1 36 3 58 2 3 5 47 1 64 8 9 2 3 5ENTERTo enter any of these competitions send the competitioncode and your answer along with your name, contactnumber and the site you work at to: Team Talk,Co-operative House, Warwick Technology Park, Warwick,CV34 6DA or email: teamtalk@midcounties.coopClosing date: 30th November 2012Quick quizThis quick fire quiz will test your knowledge on what you’ve read in themagazine. Just answer all the questions correctly to be in with a chance ofwinning a £25 Co-operative voucher• Colleagues from Marketing took on what challenge to raise money forWomen’s Aid?• Which of our new graduates is a Disney fanatic?• When did Co-operative Futures begin?• Our Travel business has just expanded – how many branches do wenow have?• Where did our Gender Diversity team take on a community challenge?Smell fabulousMany of us shell out for designer perfumes andaftershaves for our loved ones at this time ofyear. With that in mind we thought you might likethe chance to win a perfume or aftershave froma selection at our House of Minster pharmacy!Of course, we won’t say a word if you just fancykeeping it for yourself! All you have to do to be inwith a chance of winning is answer this question:Post Office’s first Community Champion,Julie Jones, is based at which Post Office?CODE: QUIZCODE: PERFUMESummer winners: Code: Coffee – Paul Reynolds, Property teamCode: Rain – Bron Betteridge, Packer and Slade FuneralCode: Quiz – Beverly Wagstaff, Solihull TravelTeam Talk 33

Team TalkJulie Jones from our New Invention Post Office is the first Post Office Community Champion. Here she tellsus a little about why she chose to take on the role…“I have worked at the New Invention Post Office for 11 years asa part time counter clerk. I didn’t really know much about ourwork in the community until last year when our Store Managerat the time organised a fun day at New Invention Food store andinvited Post Office colleagues to take part – and what a brilliantday it was! The warmth that you feel from doing somethingsmall, knowing it will help others is unbeatable and I feel verylucky to have had this chance to see how fundraising within yourcommunity can make such a difference to everyone.“I decided to become a Community Champion because mymanager told me about the position and how she thought I wouldbe good at it. I thought that maybe as I don’t know a great amountabout theCommunity teamthat I would beunable to fulfilthe role as wellas someoneelse. However,after talking toLouise Brownfrom theCommunityteam and mymanager, whowere both soencouraging, I realised with some energy andenthusiasm that I could do this! I feel very grateful to actuallyhave the opportunity to take on this extra role within Midcountiesand realise that I need to spread the word about Midcounties’community work.Julie (right) with her colleague Traceyat one of the Post Office’s fundraisers“I recently took part in the Women’s Aid pledge day and thoroughlyenjoyed getting involved and dressing up for the day. We all worehot pink tutus and fluffy pink boppers, we all looked a bit mad butit was a really fun day. I love baking and decorating cakes, so Ispent about 40 hours making some for the day (I even stayedup until 3am the night before to finish decorating them!) andwe managed to sell every last one! Our small Post Office endedup raising nearly £300 and got lots of signatures for the RealMan Pledge. It’s amazing how doing something a bit different canmake people want to know more. As a team, we all felt proud forworking together and achieving something worthwhile.“I believe that there are many people out there that would love toget involved in either community or fundraising projects but theydon’t know how to go about it. I intend to support the Communityteam to the best of my ability but also hope to be able to help mycolleagues within Post Offices to just go for it – a small amount ofenthusiasm is all it takes! The Community team is so helpful andencouraging, you can’t go wrong.”If you’re interested in becoming a community champion,whether you work in Post Office or another part of thebusiness, please contact the Community team on01902 405700 or email communityteam@midcounties.coopSome of the delicious cakes that Julie has made34Team Talk

Turn over for your exclusive colleague vouchers!Terms & ConditionsValid until 30th November 2012. Coupon can not be used in conjunction with any other promotion. Only one coupon per colleague. Coupon is non-transferable. Excludes tobaccoproducts, infant formulae milk (for babies up to 6 months), medicines (including vitamins and minerals), electronic bill payment, gift vouchers, savings stamps, telephone cards, mobilephone vouchers, all lottery tickets and scratch cards, fuel and cash back. The Midcounties Co-operative reserves the right to withhold sale or promotion of alcohol to persons underthe age of 18. Coupon is only redeemable in branches of The Midcounties Co-operative.Store instructions: Please cross out voucher and retain in store. Return with your weekly cash office paperwork.Coupon redemption value 0.001pPLU: 5647Terms & ConditionsThe 5% discount is on top of the usual colleague discount of 10% on pre-paymentplans, giving a total saving of 15%. Valid until 30th November 2012. Only one couponper colleague. Coupon is non-transferable. Transactions must be paid in full at pointof sale. Coupon is redeemable in the Midcounties Co-operative Funeralcare branchesonly. This coupon applies to Midcounties professional services only and excludes thirdparty disbursements fees.Branch instructions: Please cross out voucher and retain in branch. Return with yourweekly cash office paperwork.Coupon redemption value 0.001pTerms & ConditionsValid for new bookings made from 15th October to 30th November. Only onecoupon to be used per booking. Coupon is non transferable and non refundable.Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Coupon is only redeemable inbranches of The Midcounties Co-operative Travel, online at www.cooptravel.co.uk orby calling our Travel hotline on 0800 7811595. Full terms and conditions apply.Branch instructions: Please cross out voucher and retain in branch. Return with yourweekly cash office paperwork.Coupon redemption value 0.001pTerms & ConditionsValid until 30th November2012. Only one coupon per customer per transaction. Thecoupon is not redeemable against prescription items. Coupon is non-transferrableand non-refundable and only redeemable in Midcounties Co-operative Pharmacybranches. Only one coupon per colleague.Pharmacy instructions: Please cross out voucher and retain in branch. Return withyour weekly cash office paperwork.Terms & ConditionsYour friend's child needs to be booked into our nursery for a minimum of 2 full daysor 4 half day sessions for at least 3 months prior to the points being added and feespaid. Midcounties colleagues are unable to recommend other Midcounties colleaguesas part of the scheme. Offer applies to new introductions made after October 2012.Please call 0800 954 0669 for further details of the scheme.Coupon redemption value 0.001pTerms & ConditionsOffer open to The Midcounties Co-operative colleagues only. One voucher perhousehold.£50 offer subject to receiving at least 3 months of uninterrupted energy supply fromCo-operative Energy.

Great offers this autumn at your local Midcounties storeColleague NameSite NameFREE TAG N TRAQTRACEABLE LUGGAGELABEL WORTH £7.95WITH ALL NEW OVERSEAS BOOKINGS.Colleague NameSite NameTo find your nearest branchvisit: www.cooptravel.co.ukworth up to an extra £134.40 on topof your colleague discount of £259Colleague NameSite Name2,000 BONUSMembership PointsIf you introduce a friend to register theirchild at one of our 49 nurseries nationwide plus ournew nursery at Kidderminster opening November 2012Colleague NameSite NameColleague NameSite NameSave £50 onyour first billAND receive a 5% colleague discounton all your Energy bills with usVisit www.cooperativeenergy.coop/colleagueor phone 0800 954 0693 quoting "Colleague"Colleague benefitsDon’t forget,On all colleague offers you can earn membershippoints to increase your share of the profitsVisit the intranet for more information on the benefitsavailable to you as a colleague of The MidcountiesCo-operative