OurCoop won Sustainable Retailer of the Year at the first RG Excellence Awards for its efforts across energy savings and surplus food redistribution. Mike Pickering, head of sustainability, explains how the co-operative is linking environmental action with commercial resilience.

OurCoop sees the business case for sustainability as starting with practical results. It has achieved around £500,000 in annual electricity cost savings from its work with energy technology partner LoweConex.

It is one example Pickering points to when explaining how environmental investment can help address the pressures facing retailers, rather than simply adding to them.

“Sustainability isn’t an optional extra for us, it is central to our purpose and our values,” he stresses.

“Crucially, we also see operating more sustainably as a way to help manage some of the external pressures that face retailers across the board.”

Following OurCoop’s Sustainable Retailer of the Year win at the RG Excellence Awards 2026, Pickering sets out an approach built around renewable energy, efficiency and partnerships, with benefits intended to reach beyond the business itself.

The society was created in January 2026 through the combination of Central Co-op, The Midcounties Co-operative and Chelmsford Star Co-op. Pickering says bringing the businesses together as the UK’s largest independent co-operative society gives it greater scope to expand its impact.

Making the energy investment pay

Energy independence is central to that ambition. OurCoop has installed solar panels at more than 130 sites, generating around 4.7 GWh of renewable electricity over the past year and saving more than 800 tonnes of CO₂, according to Pickering.

Renewable energy from its offshore wind and solar partnerships now provides the equivalent of around 22 per cent of its electricity needs.

Pickering explains: “As a Member-owned business, we’re here to create long-term value for our Members and communities. Running a successful Society and protecting the places we serve go hand in hand.”

Alongside generation, the business is targeting the energy consumed by its stores. Its partnership with LoweConex has automated heating and refrigeration controls across a range of FoodCoop shops.

Pickering says this has reduced energy use by 2.5 GWh and emissions by more than 400 tonnes of CO₂ since 2024, while improving temperature management and maintenance efficiency.

“Those are practical benefits for the Society as well as the environment,” he adds.

The calculation extends beyond immediate savings. Generating electricity and securing long-term supply agreements also help the society plan for its future energy requirements and reduce exposure to price fluctuations.

Using collective scale

That longer-term approach is also shaping how OurCoop works with other co-operatives. The society led a renewable electricity agreement linked to the London Array offshore wind farm on behalf of five independent co-operatives.

The agreement provides up to 53 GWh of green electricity a year, enough to power more than 400 premises, including retail stores, funeral homes and travel agents.

“It’s another practical example of the difference we can make when co-operatives work together, sharing their collective scale and expertise to achieve a common goal,” Pickering notes.

Through Younity, its joint venture with Octopus Energy, OurCoop also supports nearly 100 community energy organisations. That support includes power purchase agreements, financial and practical assistance, and connections with volunteers.

“We’re helping communities generate and own clean energy themselves,” he says. “It’s a great example of co-operation in action, giving local people greater control over where their energy comes from and how it’s generated.”

Tackling food waste on the shop floor

Food redistribution is another strand of the strategy. OurCoop works with Olio and Too Good to Go to prevent waste and put surplus food to use locally.

Since its Olio partnership began in 2024, the society has redistributed 5.4 million food items, equivalent to around four million meals.

“That’s a significant contribution to tackling food waste and supporting people in our communities,” Pickering notes.

He argues that partnerships work best when colleagues have the tools to take part. Smart-meter dashboards, energy-saving guidance and colleague competitions help store teams understand their contribution, while regular supplier sessions support discussions about supply-chain environmental impacts and changes.

“Our aim is to give people the information, tools and support they need, then share what works across our family of businesses,” he says.

“By bringing people together and learning from one another, we can achieve much more than we could individually.”

Sharing the ambition

Pickering wants sustainability to run through the wider customer offer, rather than operate as a separate programme. He points to Fairtrade products in FoodCoop stores, environmental learning in Little Pioneers nurseries and EnergyCoop’s Community Power Tariff, which offers electricity from 100 per cent community-owned renewable generation.

“It’s important that sustainability is part of everything we do, rather than something that sits separately from our wider business strategy,” he says.

With more than one million members, OurCoop sees an opportunity to involve more people in that work. Its shops can demonstrate sustainability in practice, while Younity’s volunteering platform connects people with local community energy groups seeking time and skills to develop renewable projects.

The next phase will include expanding renewable generation, reducing food waste, improving water efficiency and supporting biodiversity. Pickering’s emphasis, however, is as much on how the society delivers these priorities as on the initiatives themselves.

“The biggest lesson is that making a lasting difference takes more than investment alone,” he says. “It’s about measuring our progress, involving our colleagues and building strong, long-term partnerships with people who share our ambition.”

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