Sustainability Reporting
What is Sustainability Reporting?
The Co-operative's annual Sustainability Report presents an open and honest account of the social, ethical and environmental performance of The Co-operative Banking Group, as part of The Co-operative Group. The Report focuses on the issues that are most material to the business and its stakeholders, ranging from ethical finance to combating climate change. It also outlines future priorities for action as set out in the Ethical Operating Plan.
View our latest report (PDF - 5.6Mb)
For further information, to read a summary of the Report, or provide feedback please visit
The Co-operative Group's Sustainability Report website.
Key achievements outlined in the latest Report include:
- £1.2bn finance declined, to date, for business activities customers say is unethical
- Continued support for social inclusion, which includes basic bank accounts provided growing by 29% in 2010, and 12,000 young people benefiting from the Skills4School financial literacy programme
- A record £70.5m earned by members from their share of the profits in 2010
- 35% reduction in greenhouse emissions across The Co-operative since 2006
- 4% of pre-tax profits – significantly more than the average business - invested in communities in 2010
Jonathan Porritt, Founder Director of Forum for the Future, who provides expert commentary on the Report, writes: “Corporate sustainability has become just too comfortable a notion over the last few years. It needs more edge, more grit, more challenge about what it is that is still going so badly wrong in the world today. And that’s what The Co-operative gives us.”
The Report has been independently assured against AA1000AS and is consistent with a GRI G3.1 application level of A+, the leading standards in sustainability reporting.
