The Co-op Group is joining the Social Saturday celebrations on 13 October.
Launched in 2014, Social Saturday is a Social Enterprise UK initiative to promote social enterprises. Since then, awareness of social enterprise among the general public has risen from 37% to 51%.
Businesses across the UK will host activities throughout the week from today, 8 October, accompanied by a social media campaign using the hashtag #SocialSaturday2018.
Writing a blog post, Russell Gill, head of co-operative relations at the Co-op Group, said: “Like all businesses, we aim to be commercially successful, but what we do with that success is what makes us different. Our Co-op, for example, is working toward building stronger communities in the UK and around the world. So, a stronger Co-op means stronger communities, too.”
Last month a report commissioned by the Co-op Group, Nationwide Building Society and Social Enterprise UK showed that the social economy generated £60bn into the UK economy, 3% of the country’s GDP.
The Hidden Revolution report also revealed that the sector employs two million workers, 5% of the UK’s total employment.
“Social enterprises, like co-operatives, exist in all areas of business,” said Mr Gill, “from grocery to healthcare, to energy, chocolate and even the Eden Project.”
Related: New report shows the value of social enterprise
The Co-op Group is calling on members to host events for Social Saturday, contacting their local Co-op Member Pioneers for support. Members can also share their events on social media using the hashtags #TheCoopWay and #SocialSaturday2018 and mentioning the Co-op Group.
The retailer joined the Social Saturday campaign as a leading partner in 2017. A total of 100 Social Saturday events took place across the country in 2017, some of these in Co-op Group stores. This year’s theme is Equality through Business.
