Assurance for sustainability leader
Two Tomorrows has provided independent assurance of The Co-operative’s influential and highly regarded sustainability report for five straight years
Our assurance for the world’s largest cooperative involves extensive analysis of the reliability of data and claims in its report. In addition, we assess how well the organisation understands its material issues and is responding to the issues that matter most to stakeholders. Our work is carried out in accordance with the AA1000 Assurance Standard (AA1000AS)
Most recently, we assured the organisation's 2010 sustainability report. The report features activity ranging from a pioneering scheme to provide bank accounts for prisoners through to improvements in its food supply chain in the developing world.
Our key findings included:
- The Co-operative has maintained the high level of stakeholder engagement seen in previous years.
- We welcome the progress on The Co-operative’s strategy for public policy positions, about which few organisations are transparent.
- The Co-operative has maintained its commitment to sustainability in the extent to which it is integral to its business model and the transparency with which it reports its impacts. The development of its Ethical Operating Plan is a significant positive step which holds the promise of an even more systematic approach to sustainability through its integration with financial planning, improved target setting and the involvement of key stakeholders.
Our previous assurance of The Co-operative's 2009 report won the Credibility Through Assurance award at the Corporate Responsibility Reporting Awards.
On top of our assurance work, we have twice been asked by The Co-operative to carry out detailed benchmarking of its strategy, policies, management systems and performance, and to provide comparisons with other sustainability leaders.
Our assurance statement in The Co-operative 2010 sustainability report
