Creating a Co-op That Welcomes Everyone

February 2019

The Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team developed an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion strategic plan goal that guides our work and creates transparency and accountability and helps to create a Co-op that welcomes everyone.

We purposefully identify, seek to understand, and challenge systems of oppression and the disempowering impact they have on the organization and our community.

At the December Board meeting, the Co-op Board of Directors approved a new Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion strategic plan goal that will guide our work at the governance and operational level.

The goal was informed by community feedback, which came from our two Town Hall events as well as from conversations with members before, during, and after the events. Thanks to this feedback, and the guidance of change consultant Dr. Breyan Haizlip (aka Dr. Bre), we are taking strategic steps to be a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive space.

In the coming years, the Co-op will take several approaches to deliver on our new strategic goal.

One approach is to increase cultural representation—in our staff, our shoppers, and on our Board—to better align with the demographics of our greater community. Another is to update our systems and approach for gathering community input, so we can continue to grow and reflect our diverse community.

In addition, we publicly report on our sustainability and social responsibility initiatives with the hope of inspiring other local businesses and influencing
industry standards.

explore what food accessibility and welcoming spaces can look like

At the operational level, over 160 staff have attended a Culturally Responsive Customer Service training with Dr. Bre. We believe that investing in our staff is important for this work. To this end, we want to strengthen and innovate staff programs that promote skill development, leadership, and engagement. We’ve developed a committee (pictured above) that leads the charge internally on social responsibility.

This work is foundational to our store’s cultural growth. It allows us to envision and create spaces where people feel both welcomed and included.

The passion and leadership we’ve felt from our community in this area has driven our co-op to explore what food accessibility and welcoming spaces can look like.

Our Board, management team, and staff are taking action to create a co-op that feels welcome to everyone. We know that to achieve that goal, building stronger relationships with a wider community is central to the Co-op’s success.

We are interested in forming new partnerships and strengthening connections that align with our new strategic goal.

If you know of a group or event we should consider connecting with, please let us know. We love meeting new people and exploring the potential to strengthen our community partnerships.

Connect with us on social media or via email. Read our Strategic Plan to learn more about all of the Co-op's strategic plan goals.