3Keel consultants worked alongside Co-op colleagues and two other external advisors, Professor Bob Doherty from the University of York and Rob Moore from Behavioural Insight, to help shape the three chapters of the Plan:

• Sourcing and Creating with Care;
• Treating People Fairly; and
• Learning & Celebrating Together.

The plan included commitments to halve food waste, eliminate single use plastics, facilitate healthy and sustainable diets, support sustainable livelihoods, empower women and take action on modern slavery. It built on the retailer’s long and strong track record of championing environmental and ethical standards in the UK and overseas.

Each pillar of the Plan evolved over 12-months, with 3Keel supporting the development process: undertaking research and competitor benchmarking, aligning Co-op’s commitments with the UN SDGs; looking at the best options for the long-term sustainable sourcing of commodities, identifying opportunities to innovate, and co-facilitating a series of workshops with different Co-op functions and suppliers to help inform the structure and content of the Plan.

The end result of this innovate and inclusive process was a realistic but challenging evidence-based 12-year Plan that took account of the needs and priorities of different stakeholders, amplified the Co-op difference in the marketplace; and clearly put Co-op in a leadership position in responding to a number of nationally and internationally important sustainability challenges.

3Keel continued to advise Co-op as it delivered the commitments it made in the Future of Food.

Read the latest Future of Food news from the Co-op here.