To mark Co-op Fortnight 2026 (22 June – 5 July), OurCoop has opened its sustainability playbook to fellow co-operatives, hosting a best-practice and inspiration session on cutting carbon emissions from retail operations.
The session comes as OurCoop reveals its carbon-cutting track record, which includes preventing over 6,000 tonnes of CO2 through supporting global carbon reduction projects and planting almost 300,000 trees with climate action platform Ecologi.
OurCoop’s Broadband, Mobile and Travel businesses help their customers offset carbon emissions associated with their products. Through Ecologi, this funds tree planting and carbon prevention and reduction projects which support the development of new renewables, introduce new low-carbon practices and improve sustainability all over the world, including Mexico, Thailand, South Africa and Vietnam.
Furthermore, nearly 20,000 trees are planted annually through OurCoop’s Funeral Planting Promise in Malawi. Formed by OurCoop’s Funeral business teaming up with the Society’s Malawi Partnership, the Funeral Planting Promise sees a tree planted in Malawi for every funeral conducted.
The initiative helps restore forests and wildlife habitats, mitigate climate change and flood risks and provide fruit, timber and sustainable income for local communities.
OurCoop’s work to support global carbon reduction projects is aligned with the theme for this year’s Co-op Fortnight – ‘co‑operate and we can change the world’ – as it is founded on working in partnership with others to share knowledge and have the greatest potential impact.
Across its direct operations, OurCoop has implemented a range of activity to drive energy efficiencies, including embracing technology to optimise refrigeration and heating and cooling systems across food stores in partnership with LoweConex.
OurCoop has shared that expertise with other co-operatives by hosting an inspiration session at the LoweConex offices in Gloucestershire during Co-op Fortnight. The Society has been working with LoweConex since 2024, using its automation and remote monitoring technology to optimise the efficiency of its heating, cooling and refrigeration systems in over 200 food stores, helping to drive energy savings and cut carbon emissions.
By bringing together other UK co-operatives and LoweConex, OurCoop has now worked to spread this impact further by sharing insights and developing learnings from other Societies.
Mike Pickering, head of sustainability at OurCoop, said: “We know that the power of co-operation can help us all to achieve more. By working together and sharing best practice during Co-op Fortnight, we can have an even bigger impact on carbon emissions, reducing energy use and cutting energy costs at the same time.
“It was great to meet with our colleagues from other societies as we work together towards our shared sustainability goals.”
