Co-op News - February 2020

Conference previews
for 2020
It’s shaping up to be a busy year for the UK
co-operative movement, with several conferences
already under preparation.
Co-operative Futures
On Friday-Saturday 7-8 February, Co-operative
Futures hosts 20/20 Vision, where co-operators
will be asked to look at the next two decades of
the co-op movement – with a special emphasis on
young co-operators.
The event poses a series of questions:
• What’s going to happen in the next 20 years?
• What’s going to happen to internationalism and
co-operation 20 years after Brexit?
• And more to the point, what do co-operators in
their 20s want to happen?
The event starts at 5pm on 7 February, with
a review of the last 20 years of the movement,
followed by dinner, drinks, birthday cake and quiz.
The following day will ask what the world will
look like in 2040, with experts discussing the
effects of climate change, IT developments, artificial
intelligence and how the demographics of society
will affect the future.
Next – with the event promising to put younger
members of the movement “in the driving seat”,
co-operators in their 20s will share their hopes and
aspirations for the next 20 years, with the rest of the
day dedicated to “working out what we can do to
bring about the future they want”.
The event, at the Beeches, Bournville, near
Birmingham, is open to supporters, members, board
members and executives of co-ops of any form. For
details of price and accommodation, and to book,
visit futures.coop/2020-vision.
with the British shopper as consumers become more
health and environmentally conscious.
Andrew Mac, from wholefoods co-op Suma,
will look at the how co-op retailers can adapt to
the growing demand for plant-based diets and
refill stations.
Michael Fletcher, commercial director at the
Co-op Group, will look at local and ethical sourcing
as a way of demonstrating the co-op difference, to
demonstrate how, as ethical retailers, they do more
for their communities.
There will also be sessions on the future of
membership as markets become more competitive
and the growth of digital alters the landscape, with
Chris Matthews from East of England Co-op and
Melody Aguero from Midcounties Co-op, and on
employee engagement and motivation.
Looking overseas, Nick Matthews from
Co-operatives UK and Peter Hunt from Mutuo will look
at the work of Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide
(CCW), which represents 28 national consumer
co-op networks around the world. CCW is undertaking
work to assess regulatory, legislative and policy
barriers for co-operatives.
For more details and booking for the event, held at
De Vere Cranage Estate in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire,
visit uk.coop/co-operative-retail-conference
Co-operative Futures
More info:
futures.coop
Dates:
7-8 February 2020
Left: Vanessa Henry speaking at Co-operative Retail Conference 2018
Below: Jo White of Co-operative Futures
Co-op Retail Conference
More info:
uk.coop/co-operativeretail-conference
Dates:
28-1 February/March 2020
Co-operative Retail Conference
From Friday 28 February to Sunday 1 March, the
Co-operative Retail Conference, organised by
Co-operatives UK, will look at how the sector can
move forward in a tough economic climate, with
a fast-changing retail landscape and continued
Brexit uncertainty.
Sessions include Rhian Thomas, from industry
analysts IGD, on how co-op retailers can keep pace
28 | FEBRUARY 2020