About the Co-op of the Year Awards
The co-op sector’s annual awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of co‑operators and co‑operative organisations across the UK.
What are the Co-op of the Year Awards?
These coveted annual awards celebrate the power of co-operation, and the contribution of co-operative enterprises across the UK.
How it all works...
Nominations
Co-ops nominate themselves or another co-op and as many individuals as they like for the awards.
Shortlisting
A judging panel representing a cross section of Co‑operatives UK’s member co-ops shortlisted and ranked co-ops in each category.
Voting
Anyone can vote once for their favourite in each category. But you do not have to vote in every category. Shortlisted co‑operatives are encouraged to promote the awards to their staff, customers and members. All votes must be online via the awards website. The judges’ scores will be combined with the votes to decide the winners.
How the individual awards are chosen
There is no public voting for the individual awards. The winners have been decided by the judging panel, based on the strength of the 250-word nomination(s). Several people can win awards, there is no maximum number of Co‑operator of the Year Awards.
What the winners get
The awards are a great chance to promote co-ops and the winners will be announced on social media in July 2021. Winners with a turnover of under £1 million will also have the option to access £1,200 worth of specialist business advice from The Hive, our business support programme in partnership with The Co‑operative Bank.
When do the Co-op of the Year Awards take place?
- Nominations opened w/c 15 February and closed at midnight on 4 April 2021.
- The shortlist was announced on 21 April and shortlisted co-ops are encouraged to canvass for votes.
- Public voting closes at midnight on 1 June 2021.
- The winners will be announced on social media in July 2021.
Co-op of the Year 2021 winners announced
Co-op of the Year Awards
