Cook Trading - 2022 impact report review
This week’s impact report is another shining star – COOK Trading Ltd, who have published an impact report for several years now.
👍🏻 3 things I like...
1. HONESTY & TRANSPARENCY
Whether they’re talking about their ‘crap rollercoaster’ of a year or the increase in their carbon emissions, they come across as being open and honest about the impact they have and the journey they’re on. This helps build credibility and trust.
In talking about the challenges of recruiting in summer 2021, their storytelling and the detail they share makes the problem real.
2. RAW TALENT PROGRAMME
I really love this. Through this programme, they provide opportunities for people who are often excluded from employment – e.g. ex-offenders. The stories from people who are on the programme are moving and demonstrate the impact on each person’s life. They also demonstrate the level of commitment and engagement from people who’ve benefitted from the programme.
The better the business does, the more employment can be provided and the more people impacted. And this is creating another pool of talented, committed workers for Cook at a time when recruitment is challenging. It’s a win, win all round. Social and commercial success are integrated and reinforce each other.
3. FOCUS ON TEAM & BROADER COMMUNITY
What shines through is the importance of their people and community, the value they place on them and how grateful they are to them, especially the commitment and resilience when times were tough.
❓3 questions it raises
1. WHAT ARE THEIR RANKED CARBON EMISSIONS SOURCES?
I’d love to see more detail on carbon emissions sources – and how that data has helped them prioritise their actions. They touch on this with the pie chart of their scope 3 emissions but I’m left wondering about the relative impact of refrigerant gas leaks, meat and dairy, transportation, consumer storage and cooking, etc.
2. HOW DO THEY COME UP WITH THEIR STAFF BENEFITS?
They have a lovely list of staff benefits. I’m curious about where those come from? How are their people involved in influencing the benefits on offer? How does that list evolve as the team evolves?
3. WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO MITIGATE RISK?
Cook’s challenges around the food supply chain and recruitment are likely to continue. I’m curious about what they’re doing to mitigate those risks. This is possibly more the content of an annual report than an impact report – but I’m curious anyway!
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You can read the report for yourself here and let me know what you think.
If you’re preparing to write your own impact report, you might find my FREE Impact Reporting Roadmap helpful: