Central England Co-op commits to sustainability code

On 6 July, Central England Co-op signed the European Union’s new Code of Conduct on Responsible Business and Marketing Practices, which commits to working closely with partners to help improve food sustainability.

The society, which has over 400 food stores and funeral homes across 16 counties, outlined a series of targets as part of the announcement as part of ongoing efforts to showcase its commitment. These included a 90% carbon footprint reduction by 2030 and a 50% food waste reduction by 2025.

This comes on the back of Central England Co-op being named Leading Co-op of the Year by Co-operatives UK in part for its long-term environmental credentials.

Luke Olly, energy and environment lead, said:

“We are delighted to have signed up to the aspirational objectives of the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Business and Marketing Practices and are pleased to showcase our commitment by putting forward our own ambitious and tangible commitments. As a co-operative, we have a responsibility to champion sustainability for the good of our members, consumers and local communities. This drives our business strategy and commitments which we shape to deliver our vision of a responsible business.”