October 2022 digital edition
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Join in<br />
with<br />
Join In Live<br />
IT’S ONE OF THE<br />
BEST WAYS THAT<br />
I KNOW FOR<br />
DIRECTORS TO<br />
HEAR DIRECTLY<br />
FROM MEMBERS<br />
WHO, AFTER<br />
ALL, ARE THE<br />
ONES WHO OWN<br />
THE BUSINESS<br />
By Susan Press<br />
Co-op Group members and customers are being<br />
invited to take part in a national conversation<br />
about policy and priorities as mounting<br />
challenges face the country.<br />
For the first time since 2019, Join In Live is<br />
hitting the road, and meeting with members<br />
and customers in London and Glasgow.<br />
But although lockdown is over, some of its<br />
innovations remain: members still have the<br />
chance to contribute to the discussion via two<br />
online events on Zoom and make themselves<br />
heard as the Group gets to grips with the cost of<br />
living crisis.<br />
Board members, Group leaders and National<br />
Members’ Council (NMC) representatives will<br />
be present at every event to carefully listen to<br />
people’s views on the way ahead in difficult<br />
circumstances.<br />
Democratic projects and services manager,<br />
Simon Plunkett, oversees key events such as<br />
the recent Co-op AGM in May and liaises all year<br />
round with the NMC.<br />
He said: “These are clearly challenging<br />
times and one of the main roles of Council is to<br />
represent members and meet them face to face<br />
so they can give authentic feedback. That’s why<br />
events like Join In Live are very important.”<br />
“As usual, we will be keen to share the<br />
latest news about our half-yearly performance<br />
update, which is published every year in<br />
<strong>October</strong>. However, although we have an agenda<br />
it is all member-led, broad brush and not<br />
too prescriptive.”<br />
The online events are continuing because<br />
“they were so successful during the pandemic”,<br />
says Plunkett, with more than 200 people<br />
taking part.<br />
“It’s also important that people who can’t make<br />
it in person have a real say,” he adds. “Whether<br />
online or face to face, the Council was very keen<br />
that these events had a reporting focus, sharing<br />
updates from members of the leadership team<br />
about our performance and priorities, and there<br />
will also be an opportunity to share ideas about<br />
new community partnerships.”<br />
At live Q&A sessions, members and customers<br />
can put questions to board members on the<br />
Group’s recent performance and plans for<br />
the future, and there will be a round-table<br />
conversation between NMC members and<br />
Member Pioneer co-ordinators to pick up on the<br />
latest developments.<br />
Despite the economic challenges facing<br />
the Group, its customers and members, basic<br />
principles like tackling inequalities and climate<br />
change are still very much high on the agenda.<br />
Plunkett says: “Our 10-point climate plan<br />
will be very, very key to discussions. And our<br />
members are always interested in Fairtrade and<br />
how we can still live sustainably and affordably<br />
44 | OCTOBER <strong>2022</strong>