Pete Westall is the Chief Values Officer & part of the Executive team for The Midcounties Co-operative, (www.midcounties.coop), where he has worked for over 30 years.
Midcounties Co-operative is seen as one of the leading Co-operatives in the UK, in Europe and across the world. They operate a broad portfolio of businesses, including Food, Travel and Childcare on behalf of their 720,000 members, and have a purpose stating that “Through the power of co-operation, we’re building a fairer, more sustainable and ethical future”.
Pete holds accountability for the Society’s Social Responsibility & sustainability agenda, as well as ensuring Co-operative Values & Principles are at the heart of the Society. He has taken Executive lead on several of the Society’s trading & support functions during his 3 decades with Midcounties, and believes all businesses have a responsibility to the communities in which they trade.
He holds a number of Board positions associated with his Executive role – including as Chair of Bright Future Co-operative https://brightfuture.coop/ – an organisation dedicated to the employment of survivors of modern slavery- & as Chair of Business in the Community Leadership Board in the West Midlands.
He is also a founding director of the Fund for International Co-operative Development – a fund set up to support cooperatives worldwide in rebuilding after crises and fostering peace through the power of cooperation. He was named Co-operator of the Year by Co-op UK members in 2021 in recognition of his work across the UK movement and has spoken at a number of national and international events over recent times, including the UK Co-operative Congress in July 25 & at the last Global Innovation Co-operative Summit in Montreal.