November 2017

CSR reporting is traditionally about facts and figures. Do you have any advice
for co-ops on bringing their community report to life for their customers
and members?
MARCUS HULME:
Infographics software, such as Easel.ly, enables
organisations to present their data more visually,
rather than just in blocks of text. There’s a good
quote from Charity Bank: ‘No stories without
numbers, no numbers without stories.’ A good
impact report will have a mixture of both. Again,
the detail and level of information that you provide
should be proportionate – focus on what’s useful
and relevant for your particular organisation. Ask
yourself, ‘What’s the problem we’re trying to solve;
what activities or services are we providing; what
difference is it making; and what are we learning?’
ALYSON SLATER:
Co-ops can get so much more value out of their
reporting by closing loops. For example, co-ops
are good at listening to stakeholder concerns and
integrating those into their reporting practice. But
don’t assume one sustainability report will fit all
stakeholder needs. Why not reach out again to
those stakeholders, through the same channels,
with the reported results, at the right time and in
the right format to suit those stakeholders’ specific
needs? Sub-sets of sustainability information can be
integrated into existing communications channels
with customers or communities. The same can be
said for closing the loop with management – once
data is collected and reported externally, don’t forget
that all-important step of reviewing performance
and adjusting policies or procedures, to get closer to
the result you are aiming for next year.
p Central England Co-op celebrates raising £1.5m for Newlife the Charity for
Disabled Children, with funding recipient Matthew Smith and his mum Christine
What CSR trends should co-ops be considering?
q Lincolnshire
Co-op volunteers help
install disabled access
pathways at Besthorpe
Nature Reserve
ALYSON SLATER:
The push for greater transparency about
sustainability issues should certainly be
on the radar of co-ops. For example, in the
last two years we have seen the passing of the EU
Directive on Non-Financial Reporting, the UK Modern
Slavery Act, and outside of Europe we have seen
hundreds of new policies come into play that
demands greater transparency from companies and
their supplychains.
MARCUS HULME:
There are a few interesting tech solutions for
gathering data. The old-fashioned way was to do
a survey and analyse that, but the data is not very
real-time. Acumen, for instance, now gathers some
data through text messages. Organisations should
look at how they can use cheap, or free, technology
to gather feedback and evidence from customers in
real time to inform what they are doing.
38 | NOVEMBER 2017