Looking back on a year of co-operative work
International Day of Co-operatives (Saturday 6 July) is nearly here, celebrating the significant role co-operatives, social enterprises and other businesses with a social purpose play in building a more sustainable future.
This is an annual celebration of the co-operative movement, promoting organisations that are owned by, run by and meet the needs of their members – whether that’s customers, employees or the wider community.
To mark the occasion, we’ve rounded up some of the borough’s co-operative achievements over the last year, while also looking forward at the work we are doing to build a more inclusive economy, underpinned by our co-operative values.
Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and member of the Cooperative Council Innovation Network (CCIN) Executive Oversight Committee, said:
“As a borough with a long and rich history of co-operation, which dates to the very start of the movement in the mid-18th century, we are keen to get behind this celebration, raising awareness of co-operatives as an altogether better way to do business.
“One of our key missions is strengthening the co-operative, community, and socially motivated sectors in Greenwich, so they can support the most in need. We want to embed these principles in every level of the Council’s work”.
It has been an exciting year for the sector in Royal Greenwich. Since we celebrated the last International Day of Co-operatives in July 2023...
We launched our Co-operative Commission
Through the commission, we are exploring how the co-operative sector can respond to some of the key challenges faced by residents and local businesses. This, in turn, will encourage the sector to grow.
The commission is exploring opportunities in three areas: community energy, co-operative development, and social care through co-operative collaboration.
We will soon publish our first Inclusive Economy Strategy
The strategy sets out how the Council and local partners will work together over the next 10 years to create a borough where everyone can reach their potential. It will help ensure wealth and opportunity is distributed fairly across the borough.
This vision is rooted in partnership and collaboration, with businesses, residents and our anchor institutions working together to support the development of co-operative and other social businesses.
Councillor Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Business, Skills and Greenwich Supports, said: “Our work to create a more inclusive economy builds on our historic and proud support for co-ops and co-operative values in Royal Greenwich. The borough’s growing co-operative and social enterprise sector distributes wealth across our communities and is at the heart of building a fairer, more sustainable and inclusive future for us all.”
Download the strategy from 11 July at royalgreenwich.gov.uk/inclusive-economy-strategy
We showcased support available for businesses with a social or environmental impact at the first Greenwich Business Breakfast
In May, we hosted the first of our networking business breakfasts, showcasing the variety and quality of support available for businesses in Royal Greenwich. The event had a special focus on support for businesses that are providing services to the local community, with a social or environmental purpose.
We delivered a joint pilot community cooperative project on the Woolwich Common Estate
In July 2023, we partnered with Greenwich Cooperative Development Agency (GCDA) to deliver a project to encourage more residents to become actively engaged in helping to improve the overall safety, security and the look and feel of Woolwich Common estate. This successful pilot project has become a beacon of best practice for other estates in Royal Greenwich and features as a case study on the Cooperative Council Innovation Network.
One year on, this initiative has seen some fantastic outcomes, including:
• decreased littering and flytipping
• improved resident satisfaction
• increased resident engagement and participation
• development of employment and training opportunities for local people
• new information sharing processes established
The project also offers a written blueprint for use by other estates and areas wishing to achieve the same or similar outcomes.
The steering group continues to meet and plan activity for the site, such as building a new community garden and recruiting a community gardener.
The Council has also secured UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) funding to help improve the accessibility, look and feel of the estate's main square, Leslie Smith Square.
We explored co-operative approaches to climate action at the Greener Greenwich Summit
In March, businesses came together at the second Greener Greenwich Summit, organised by the South East London Chamber of Commerce and supported by the Council. Attendees shared innovative ideas across renewable energy use, waste management, recycling and reuse, sustainable transport, developing green skills, and the use of technology and IT systems to make a difference.
We heard from two brilliant Royal Greenwich co-operatives, GCDA and South East London Community Energy (SELCE).
GCDA presented a fantastic example of collaboration, the Good Food in Greenwich Partnership. Launched in 2014, the initiative has transformed the local food landscape by promoting healthy, sustainable and accessible food for all residents, workers and visitors.
SELCE illustrated their journey to achieving an energy system fit for the future for local communities and supporting many households, community venues and businesses in south east London to reduce demand for energy and increase renewable energy use.
Read our interview with Claire Pritchard from GCDA
Read our interview with Giovanna Speciale from SELCE.
View the report from the summit.