Latest news with #DebbieWhite
Asharq Al-Awsat
12 hours ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Britain's Co-op to Stop Sourcing from Israel
British food retailer the Co-op Group will cease sourcing products and ingredients from 17 countries, including Israel, where there are "internationally recognized" human rights abuses and violations of international law, it said on Tuesday. The Co-op, which is owned by its members and trades from over 2,300 food stores across the UK, said it would stop selling carrots from Israel from this month as part of a commitment to no longer stock Israeli goods, Reuters reported. The company's prohibited list follows a board review of the Co-op's role "in building peace". European nations have been increasingly critical of the civilian toll of Israel's military campaign against Hamas since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli communities. Other countries on the Co-op list include Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Libya and Syria. "The voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon," Debbie White, chair of the Co-op Group board, said. "As a business, we have a long-standing legacy of doing the right thing, supporting Fairtrade and championing ethical sourcing, and this policy is a natural progression of this." Tesco, Britain's biggest food retailer, does not source products from Israeli settlements within the occupied Palestinian territories. However, along with other UK retailers it does source from Israel in line with government advice. Last month, the independent board of Ben & Jerry's said the conflict in Gaza was a genocide, escalating a bitter feud between the ice cream maker and its longtime London-based corporate parent Unilever.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Co-op to cease trade with countries identified with human rights abuses
British cooperative group Co-op has decided to terminate trade relations with nations identified with widespread human rights abuses and violations of international law. Co-op members have been consistently highlighting conflict as a major concern through feedback and resolutions in recent years. Heeding this strong message from its members, the Co-op board conducted a review on how the Co-op could contribute to peace. This resulted in the initiation of the campaign: "Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them." The review further led to the formulation of a sourcing policy that reflects traditional co-operative values, with a focus on human rights and legal compliance to foster fair trade and support peaceful initiatives. The retailer established three criteria for ceasing sourcing from certain countries: consensus among respected assessments such as those from the UN regarding persistent human rights abuses or international law violations, the potential for Co-op's actions to make a meaningful difference and reduce suffering, and ensuring such actions do not compromise Co-op's commercial success or its adherence to co-operative principles. Efforts will therefore be made to exclude ingredients in Co-op branded products or sell products from 17 identified countries of concern. The list includes specific products exclusively sourced from their origin countries, such as Russian vodka, Malian mangoes and Israeli carrots. These items will be gradually removed from Co-op stores and products from June 2025. Co-op Group board chair Debbie White stated: 'This policy, which has been developed over the past year as a part of our Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them campaign, is a clear demonstration of our co-operative values in action, where the voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon. 'We are committed, where we can, to removing products and ingredients from our shelves which are sourced from those countries where the international consensus demonstrates there is not alignment with what happens in those countries and our co-operative values and principles. The decision, endorsed by the Co-op Group board, aligns with the commencement of Co-ops Fortnight, to be held from 23 June to 6 July in the UK. "Co-op to cease trade with countries identified with human rights abuses" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Co-op bans its stores from selling Israeli produce as it begins boycott to 'support peace'
Co-op has banned its stores from selling Israeli produce as it begins its boycott to 'support peace'. The supermarket said that items including carrots will be scrapped from their shelves this month as part of a push to 'stop sourcing relationships with countries where there are internationally recognised community-wide human rights abuses and violations of international law'. They will also stop selling own-brand products that contain Israeli ingredients in a phased approach, starting from June 2025, in a move pro-Israeli activists have branded 'shameful'. Israel is placed alongside 17 countries the store has acted against - including Russia, North Korea, Syria, Somalia and Iran. The Co-op already did not source produce from Israeli settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. It comes following pressure from members, who the chain says have urged them to do all they can to 'advocate and build peace'. The store has based the countries they have blocked assessments from organisations including the UN, who have said they are home to community-wide human rights abuses or violations of international law. They claim they chose actions that will 'alleviate suffering' but not negatively affect their commercially successful co-operative business. Debbie White, Chair of the Co-op Group Board said: 'This policy, which has been developed over the past year as a part of our Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them' campaign, is a clear demonstration of our co-operative values in action, where the voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon. 'We are committed, where we can, to removing products and ingredients from our shelves which are sourced from those countries where the international consensus demonstrates there is not alignment with what happens in those countries and our co-operative values and principles. 'As a business, we have a long-standing legacy of doing the right thing, supporting Fairtrade and championing ethical sourcing and this policy is a natural progression of this. Our Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them campaign has once again positioned our Co-op with those who advocate for and build peace.' Last month members of Co-op backed a motion to boycott Israeli products, with nearly three quarters supporting the vote. They urged the board to show 'moral courage and leadership', while the Palestine Solidarity Campaign saying the vote showed members would not support the 'apartheid economy'. Earlier this year, pro-Palestine activists tore avocados, hummus and dates off the shelves in Waitrose as they attacked items produced in Israel. The move was slammed by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, who branded the move 'hateful and divisive' and claimed it constituted intimidation. A spokesperson told MailOnline: 'It is apt that this policy of boycotting the Jewish state was developed as part of a Co-op campaign titled 'Hate Divides Communities', because that is exactly what this policy is: hateful and divisive. 'Boycotts like this have real world effects on the Jewish community, as Jews know from centuries of such ostracism. 'This is shameful from the Co-op, and its terrible reputation in the Jewish community is well earned.'
Reuters
a day ago
- Business
- Reuters
Britain's Co-op to stop sourcing from Israel
LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - British food retailer the Co-op Group will cease sourcing products and ingredients from 17 countries, including Israel, where there are "internationally recognised" human rights abuses and violations of international law, it said on Tuesday. The Co-op (42TE.L), opens new tab, which is owned by its members and trades from over 2,300 food stores across the UK, said it would stop selling carrots from Israel from this month as part of a commitment to no longer stock Israeli goods. The company's prohibited list, which also includes Russian vodka and mangoes from Mali, follows a board review of the Co-op's role "in building peace". European nations have been increasingly critical of the civilian toll of Israel's military campaign against Hamas since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli communities. Other countries on the Co-op list include Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, Libya and Syria. "The voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon," Debbie White, chair of the Co-op Group board, said. "As a business, we have a long-standing legacy of doing the right thing, supporting Fairtrade and championing ethical sourcing, and this policy is a natural progression of this." Last month, the independent board of Ben & Jerry's said the conflict in Gaza was a genocide, escalating a bitter feud between the ice cream maker and its longtime London-based corporate parent Unilever (ULVR.L), opens new tab.
Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Co-op to stop sourcing carrots from Israel to ‘support peace and co-operation'
The supermarket chain said it will stop sourcing relationships with countries where there are 'internationally recognised community-wide human rights abuses and violations of international law'. The policy says that, wherever possible, the grocer will not use ingredients in Co-op branded products or sell whole products from 17 countries of concern. Products and ingredients on the prohibited list include Russian vodka, mangoes from Mali and carrots from Israel. They will be removed from Co-op shelves and products on a phased basis, starting this month. The supermarket said the policy had been approved by the Co-op Group Board and coincided with the start of Co-op Fortnight in the UK. It followed a year of 'detailed analysis' and was based on three criteria: agreement across respected assessments of behaviour which would constitute community-wide human rights abuses or violations of international law; that the actions Co-op could take would make a difference to those affected; and that the grocer's actions would not negatively affect its integrity as a commercially successful business aligned with co-operative values and principles. Over recent years, Co-op members had made clear through surveys, engagement and motions that conflict was one of their biggest concerns and that 'their Co-op should do all it can to advocate and build peace', it said. Debbie White, chairwoman of the Co-op Group Board, said: 'This policy – which has been developed over the past year as a part of our Hate Divides Communities, Co-operation Builds Them campaign – is a clear demonstration of our co-operative values in action, where the voices of our members have been listened to and then acted upon. 'We are committed, where we can, to removing products and ingredients from our shelves which are sourced from those countries where the international consensus demonstrates there is not alignment with what happens in those countries and our co-operative values and principles. 'As a business, we have a long-standing legacy of doing the right thing, supporting Fairtrade and championing ethical sourcing, and this policy is a natural progression of this.'
