Represent is Co-op’s colleague disability network, chaired by Natalie Clegg, Gareth Smith and Katy Brown.

Dedicated to creating accepting and inclusive workplaces, Co-op’s Represent network was created by and for colleagues in the disability community. Founded in 2020, the network was established after a group of disabled colleagues decided to meet up for coffee and share their experiences. It’s now grown to include more than 550 people and influences the way in which Co-op considers disability inclusion, from the support centre right through to food stores and operational activities.

At the forefront of Represent is the disability community, with colleague-led support groups and peer-to-peer mentoring, the community is thriving. Represent is committed to building safe spaces for colleagues to share experiences, ask for support and working together to shape the future of disability at Co-op.

Since its inception, the Represent network has also focused on improving disability inclusion in all areas, from the accessibility of technology to improving standards and practices across the organisation. Represent has worked collaboratively with Co-op’s inclusion team to make sure changes are informed by real people’s needs and experiences too.

The community has also built a disability inclusion strategy for Co-op, created by disabled people, and focusing on removing barriers and creating meaningful change. The impact of this reaches beyond Co-op colleagues and is felt by customers too. By amplifying disabled people’s voices to bring about change, Represent is putting inclusion at the heart of everything they do, making sure that people are heard.