Co-op of the Year shortlist announced – vote for your favourites
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Voting opens today (21 April 2021) for the Co-op of the Year Awards with 23 co-ops and five co-op councils shortlisted for a prestigious national award.
Following a hugely challenging year for businesses of all types and sectors, these industry awards celebrate and reward co-operative enterprises that have shown a particular commitment to the co-operative principles, and those who have stepped up to support their communities during the pandemic.
The Co-op of the Year Awards 2021 are organised by Co-operatives UK – the network for Britain’s thousands of co-operative businesses – and sponsored by The Co-operative Bank. A panel of eight judges representing co-ops from across the sector selected the shortlist from an inspiring list of nominations. Now it’s time for the public to help choose the winners.
“The shortlist reflects the diversity of the co-operative movement – from a community owned energy project in rural Wales, to a worker run bakery in Birmingham, a non-profit digital agency and retail societies with multi million pound turnovers. Check out the shortlist and please show your support by casting your vote online, it only takes a moment and makes a real difference to independent co-operative businesses.”
Catherine Douglas, Managing Director, SME at The Co-operative Bank, said,
“The Co-operative Bank is delighted to be supporting The Co-op of the Year Awards once again. These awards are a great opportunity for us all to celebrate how co-operatives have supported their local economies and communities over the last year, particularly through the Coronavirus pandemic. We’ve heard some amazing stories about how organisations and individuals are using the power of co-operation to enable their businesses to flourish in a fair and equitable way and I'm really looking forward to seeing who wins”.
The judges have also selected several individual Co-operator of the Year Awards, honouring individuals who embody the co-operative values and principles or who have made a significant contribution to the UK co-operative movement.
Voting closes at midnight on the 1 June and will be combined with the judges’ scores. The winners will be announced online in early July.
