Co-op News October 2019: Sustainable Development

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Co-operative College centenary conference The Co-operative College’s centenary conference is the highlight of its 100th year. It is taking place in Rochdale, the birthplace of modern co-operation, with a three day programme looking at what makes co-operative education unique – and how it can offer radical solutions to some of society’s biggest problems. Each of the three days will cover a different theme. The first, Co-operation for a New Generation, dedicates a day to tackling the issues that most affect young people, and includes workshops focused on youth social action and what life is like in a co-operative school. There will also be plenary sessions on the future of work. Day two, Co-operative Education Across the World, takes an international outlook with speakers including Ariel Guarco (president of International Co-operative Alliance), Dame Pauline Green (former president of the ICA) and Angela Rayner MP (shadow secretary of state for education) examining what solutions co-operative education can provide to some of the biggest challenges facing society. The third day looks to the future, with workshops on how to build a co-operative economy, the progress made on bringing a Co-operative University to life, and the unique relationship between co-ops and unions. There will be keynote addresses from Bruno Roelants (director general of the ICA) and Julie Ward MEP, plus the unveiling of the College’s new fiveyear strategy. Other speakers include: Professor Esther Gicheru (Co-op University of Kenya); Dr Sonia Novkovic, (professor, St Mary’s University, Canada); and Andy Burnham (mayor of Greater Manchester). The event also includes an inaugural gala dinner and awards ceremony celebrating the College’s history. “We can’t wait to welcome delegates from across the world to our centenary conference, the flagship event of our centenary year,” said Simon Parkinson, chief executive and principal of the Co-operative College. “As we approach the 175th anniversary of the Rochdale Pioneers and the birth of the modern co-operative movement in the UK, we are delighted to be holding this prestigious event in Rochdale. “The challenges we’re facing today are no less profound than those faced by those original 28 pioneers and history teaches us that through working together, co-operative education can act as a catalyst towards building a fairer world.” The Co-operative College’s centenary conference Dates: Tuesday 26 – Thursday 28 November 2019 Location: Rochdale Town Hall More info: co-op.ac.uk/ centenaryconference EDUCATION TO CHANGE THE WORLD 26 | OCTOBER 2019
Practitioners Forum 2019 The Practitioners Forum, organised by Co-operatives UK, is a day of learning sessions for people operating in key roles in co-operative businesses large and small. There are five strands (communications; finance; governance; HR; and membership), with four sessions in each. Delegates can pick and mix sessions across the strands, which are led by experts from co-operatives and companies who have experience and insight to share. One such expert is Maria Borstnar, a behavioural insight trainer and consultant who helps businesses develop “behaviourally informed campaigns and propositions that are user-friendly and easy to engage with”. She is the founder of Nudge2Engage, which aims to help organisations benefit from behavioural insight, and will be leading a session in the Membership strand. “The ‘Nudge’ approach is based on Nobel prizewinning research,” she says. “Rather than just focusing on rationality, it takes into account our emotions, cognitive biases, mental shortcuts and environmental factors that impact on how we realistically make decisions – in our own lives and at work. “If you are unaware of factors influencing your customers’ decision-making, you may be (unknowingly) investing in inefficient marketing strategies, and developing services that are not user-friendly.” Also presenting is Chris Sands, founder of Totally Locally – a grassroots campaign to bring struggling high streets back to life. Totally Locally is built around a message that £5 can make a difference. “It started with the idea that if every adult in Calderdale spent £5 per week in their local shops and businesses instead of online, at the supermarket or with huge multinationals, it would be worth £20m going directly back into the local economy,” says Chris. “That’s a huge amount of money with massive benefits to the area, for just a tiny bit of effort from each person who lives there.” The campaign focuses on collaboration, encouraging business owners, traders and producers to work together to create vibrant and sustainable high streets. A free toolkit means there are now Totally Locally campaigns taking place in towns across the world – and a big part of this is #FiverFest, where towns and high streets taking part put on special £5 offers over one week, to show the diversity and value of what they sell. The next is 5-12 October 2019. Other speakers include James Roberts from the MemberWise Network, who will look at the importance of understanding member value; Josh Wheeler from Good Broadcast UK, who will offer advice on how to generate broadcast media coverage; and Mel Harris from Sparklab Productions, a podcast production company. Colleague wellbeing is a theme for the HR strand, with Sharon Pegg giving an introduction to employee wellbeing, Lincolnshire Co-op leading a session on promoting colleague wellbeing and the Co-op Group following with a look at how to use what you already know to shape a wellbeing programme. The Finance strand will hear about tax updates from KPMG, which is also presenting a view on the UK’s economic outlook. And Diana Finch will share her experience of the Bristol Pound CIC. Co-operatives UK’s Linda Barlow and Co-op Culture’s Dr Mark Simmonds will talk delegates through the nuts and bolts of sociocracy in the Governance strand, exploring how co-ops are using this set of tools and principles that ensure shared power. Participants can also choose sessions on the importance of member inductions, engaging employees and involving member bodies and co-operative governance. Practitioners Forum 2019 Dates: Thursday 7 November Location: The Studio, Manchester, UK More info: uk.coop/PF OCTOBER 2019 | 27
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Page 3 and 4: Sustainable development to build a
Page 5 and 6: NEWS ENERGY Octopus and Co-op Energ
Page 7 and 8: Food chief calls for action to tack
Page 9 and 10: ENVIRONMENT Co-op Group signs UN’
Page 11 and 12: RETAIL Retail societies grateful fo
Page 14 and 15: GLOBAL UPDATES GLOBAL Co-ops and cr
Page 16 and 17: GLOBAL Agropur joins G7 business co
Page 18 and 19: IRELAND Lakeland Dairies co-op anno
Page 20 and 21: IRELAND Row continues over milk pri
Page 22 and 23: MEET... Meet … Michael Gidney, CE
Page 24 and 25: YOUR VIEWS FAIRTRADE FESTIVITIES? I
Page 28 and 29: CO-OP PARTY GETS READY FOR ITS AGM
Page 30 and 31: DELIVERING DEVELOPMENT What has the
Page 32 and 33: SERVING UP CO-OP IDEAS ON A BRIGHTO
Page 34 and 35: SOCIAL BUSINESS: Safeguarding the f
Page 36 and 37: THE COLLAPSE OF THOMAS COOK Retail
Page 38 and 39: CO-OPS & THE SDGs “The 2030 Agend
Page 40 and 41: ICA-EU PARTNERSHIP The co-operative
Page 42 and 43: SDG 10 How are the ICA Asia-Pacific
Page 44 and 45: SDG 08 At Kigali, you will take par
Page 46 and 47: TECH & THE SDGs The UN Sustainable
Page 48 and 49: REVIEWS What does the future hold f
Page 50: DIARY CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Roch

Co-op News October 2019: Sustainable Development

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