Pete Westall is the Chief Values Officer and part of the Executive team for The Midcounties Co-operative, 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 700,000 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 sustainability and the Society’s Social Responsibility 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 three 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 a Board Director of the Younity Joint Venture and as Chair of Bright Future Co-operative – an organisation dedicated to the employment of survivors of modern slavery. 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 at the Global Innovation Co-operative Summit in Montreal in September 2023, and at the Cooperatives Europe General Assembly and Symposium in Brussels earlier this year.