Co-op Congress 2024

Co-op Congress 2024 takes place at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on Friday 14 June and Saturday 15 June. We have assembled a brilliant line-up of speakers for the UK's biggest and boldest Movement-wide event. In addition to our main-room sessions there'll be a wide range of fringe events taking place. 

Sessions and speakers 

Watch this space for more updates on topics and panelists.

Keynote: The need for co-operative growth

• Jonathan Reynolds MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
• Introduced by the Co-operative Party

The Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade ends the first day of Co-op Congress 2024 with a rousing address focused on the need for co-operative growth - and what a Labour government would do to make it happen.

Membership worth owning and conversations worth having

• Grace Blakeley, Economics and politics commentator, journalist and author
• Kenyatte Nelson, Chief Membership & Customer Officer, Co-op Group
• Host: Rose Marley, CEO, Co-operatives UK
• More speakers TBA

The economy is not broken... it's working exactly as planned. Acclaimed journalist and economic commentator, Grace Blakeley, will open this session with a provocation designed to inspire discussion about collectivism (and why encouraging it isn't in the interests of the status quo). Prepare to be challenged by Grace, a current staff writer at Tribune Magazine and author of several books, including Vulture Capitalism: Corporate Crimes, Backdoor Bailouts and the Death of Freedom. 

The feeling is mutual

• Shirine Khoury-Haq, CEO, Co-op Group
• Host: Rebecca Harvey, Executive Editor, Co-op News
• More speakers TBA

The Co-operative and Mutual Economy presented a compelling case for harnessing the potential for co-operatives AND mutuals. Annual income is more than doubled to £90 billion when mutuals, building societies and employee owned enterprises are added to co-operative figures. There's also more than 74 million memberships. Mutuals are good for the economy, good for workers and good for the customers they serve. So why can it be so hard to explain? And how do we work more closely together for mutually beneficial? Join Shirine Khoury-Haq, the CEO of the Co-op Group - the UK's biggest co-operative, as well as leaders from leading mutuals for this ground-breaking session. 

We have the power

• Michaela Cryar, Director, Younity
• Eva Murray, Campaigns Officer, Co-operative Party
• Host: John Robb, Musician and author

Ownership matters. If communities can wrestle power back into their own hands by owning and controlling renewables like solar panels we'll all be empowered to take action on the climate emergency. In this session Co-operative Party's Eva Murray and Younity's Michaela Cryar will explore the potential for community energy growth - and how co-operatives and their members can make a difference.

International Supper  

We're putting together an exciting mix of UK and international speakers for our ever-popular international supper. This Friday evening event features a drinks reception and two-course 'international buffet'.