Society

Who?
At the heart of CFS' approach to Sustainable Development lies a recognition of interdependence: the understanding that an organisation's activities rely for their success, and have an impact upon, the natural world and the six billion people who inhabit it. More specifically, with its main offices and service centres in Manchester, Skelmersdale, Stockport and Salford, CFS is very much in the heartland of Greater Manchester and the North West of England. Additionally, CFS manages more than 300 other premises across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Visit the bank's website i for a list of bank branches and LINK Cash Machines and CIS' website ii for a list of CIS local offices.

What?
Determining a common set of priorities directly with society as a whole is next to impossible. Instead, the bank has periodically balloted customers on a series of Ethical Policy issues since 1992. Customers are numerous and represent a good cross-section of society, and it is generally their money that is being used. A ballot of CIS customers will be undertaken in 2004, as described here. In addition, CFS consults with a variety of external expert organisations. Charities and campaigning groups enjoy a high level of public trust and, for this reason, CFS treats these organisations as proxy representatives.

Where?
All of the information detailed in the section on Social Responsibility and the section on Ecological Sustainability has a significant impact on society. In addition, the following are considered noteworthy:
Trust - Sustainability governance and management are described here, together with various external ratings.
Economic value added/distributed is described here.
Social Inclusion - The degree to which CFS' personal products support social inclusion is described here and the degree to which corporate and business products support less well off communities, together with network developments is described here.

i www.co-operativebank.co.uk/services/locator.html
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ii www.cis.co.uk/pages/contactus/cus003.asp
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