Co-op Impact Metrics represent areas that differentiate co-ops from conventional supermarkets. Here are five ways your impact metrics data goes to work for your co-op and NCG.

1. Tell Your Story. Hartman Group found that seven in ten consumers would like companies’ sustainability efforts to be more visible. People expect companies to openly share information about sustainability efforts, and collecting and reporting your impact metrics can help you do this. NCG’s Sustainability Impact Report templates for social media posts, posters and reports are an effective and convenient way to use your co-op’s impact metrics and share your positive message.
2. Get a Head Start on Business Reporting. Collecting impact metrics data helps streamline Ends reporting, board reports and annual reports. In addition to having the data all in one place, tracking the impact metrics in Co+efficient has benefits including automatic carbon footprint calculations and the ability to look at your co-op’s performance relative to the rest of your corridor.
3. Differentiate Your Co-op from Competition. The Impact Metrics reflect co-ops’ points of differentiation and help us articulate exactly what’s special about food co-ops. Without this data, we wouldn’t be able to support the claim that co-ops are leaders in organic (42% of co-op sales on average are organic, compared to 5% at conventional retailers), and food rescue (co-ops donate an average of 24,000 pounds of rescued food to local pantries each year, twice that of conventional retailers). NCG uses the impact metrics data as the foundation for national storytelling—see You Are the Co-op Difference and Healthy Food, Healthy Communities.
4. Help Make Our Case on Capitol Hill. NCG cites impact metrics data when representing our sector on Capitol Hill. “Lawmakers want to hear about NCG co-ops’ impact on their district and the broader economy. For example, when we ask lawmakers to support the National Organic Program, our message is more effective when we can cite NCG co-ops’ organic sales.” says Allie Mentzer, NCG Advocacy Manager.
5. Challenge Our Sector to Innovate and Improve Together. Using impact metrics from 2017, NCG co-ops have set ambitious goals to work together to improve national averages in several areas, named our 2020 Impact Goals. Measuring progress each year keeps us moving in the right direction and on track to meet—or exceed—these goals!