Terry Clennell

I found The Co-operative Group fitted my desire to work within a business model that gave something back to the communities it operated within, and had Corporate Social Responsibility goals that target local and global issues. I was drawn toward public sector and success driven - rather than entirely profit driven - organisations, such as charities, co-ops, and local and national government.

The Co-operative Group certainly is a consumer driven community retailer. However, they are also the largest farm owner in the country, with thousands of retail outlets including pharmacies, travel agents, banks, food stores, and funeral parlours. They’re a business with a social conscience that engages with its individual members and acts on its genuine beliefs.

I have aimed to get a good depth of experience in roles requiring different skill and knowledge bases. To date, I have worked on a broad range of product areas, from cuddly toys to custard. I’ve used different disciplines, like food tasting and art direction. I’ve also worked in two very different parts of the organisation, the food business, and group procurement. I very much enjoyed creating a partnership agreement between the World Wildlife Fund and The Co-operative Group, and raising £250,000 as part of a big promotion linked in with our Corporate Social Responsibility goals.

There was a strong bond between the graduates because of all of the activities we were involved in together. This provided a very useful network for support and contacts, and a benchmark for my own progression. As the past few years have gone by, people have moved on to different locations and jobs within the group. I still have very fond memories and a number of friends from the scheme.