Co-op awards: initiative to celebrate tradition

Co-op awards: initiative to celebrate tradition

Cooperative Business New Zealand will, for the first time this year, follow up its formal AGM with an awards event to mark the achievements of many of its longstanding member co-ops which, together, total more than 1,600 years of service to this country.

Cooperative Business represents the interests of this country’s cooperatives - or ‘co-ops’ as they are sometimes known - which account for more than three percent of New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP), employ 43,000 people and turn over $41 billion a year.

Chief Executive Ian Macintosh says the inaugural awards event will blend innovation with tradition.

“This is a great opportunity to formally recognise more than 35 co-ops’ significant anniversary milestones of 25, 50, 75 and 100 years.

“These Kiwi-owned cooperatives represent more than 1,600 years of sustained service, while retaining all profits within New Zealand,” he says.

“These new awards will celebrate the significant success of the co-operative business model. Co-ops continue to prove they are modern businesses, efficient and competitive in a fast-paced market across many sectors.

“Time tells us that co-ops are here for the long haul, not the short term dollar. Cooperative Business New Zealand will continue to advocate for the recognition within urban areas, schools, universities and institutes and the general public that, by supporting Kiwi co-ops, we can build a better New Zealand.”

August 14 marks the day and Auckland’s Novotel Ellerslie the venue for the busy highlight of Cooperative Business’ calendar:

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