Program Overview
Co+efficient is an online sustainability database designed to empower co-ops to create measurable improvement in sustainability performance. Co-ops can use it to track their environmental, social and economic impact, access NCG resources and facilitate networking to help improve performance over time.
Co-ops use Co+efficient to complete the annual Food Co-op Impact Survey, a set environmental and social sustainability questions that provide essential data NCG uses to communicate how co-ops benefit their communities to consumers, industry partners and Congress.
How Co+efficient Works
Co+efficient includes four main components:
- Providing a common framework: Co+efficient includes a set of metrics to measure and manage a co-op’s sustainability performance. Since you can’t manage what you don’t measure, these metrics help determine the baseline and measure changes over time.
- Giving meaning to the data: Co+efficient’s dashboards visualize multi-year trends, perform calculations (like GHG emissions and energy use per square foot), and allow comparison between co-ops and learning from peers. This helps provide context and meaning to the data, so co-ops can determine their next steps on the road to improvement.
- Facilitating progress: Co+efficient includes numerous tools and guides to help co-ops make improvements that will lead to measurable change.
- Helps co-ops tell their story: Helps co-ops tell their story. Co+efficient makes it easier for co-ops to share the story of their sustainability successes in annual reports, newsletters, websites and on social media.
Benefits
- Easy to use. Enter data into a single survey or Excel spreadsheet. Your greenhouse gas emissions will be automatically calculated.
- Comparative. Utilize benchmarking tools that show how your store’s performance compares to other participating NCG co-ops.
- Useful. Use the framework to identify areas for improvement and drive greater efficiency and cost savings
- Shareable. Display the dashboard in your store or export data and charts for use in annual reports, presentations, or marketing materials.
Costs
All NCG co-ops receive two complimentary Co+efficient user accounts.
Participation Requirements
Participation is open to all NCG member co-ops. NCG recommends each co-op designate one or two Co+efficient users to dedicate sufficient time to complete the Food Co-op Impact Survey every January/February. The survey contains additional optional metrics, and users are able to enter metrics monthly if they prefer. In addition to having an interest in sustainability, the liaison should be comfortable using Excel files and navigating the internet.
How to Enroll
Contact Cole Hawthorne with questions about how to access your co-op’s complimentary Co+efficient accounts.
Program Details
Co+efficient is an online sustainability database designed to empower co-ops to create measurable improvement in sustainability performance. Co-ops can use it to track their environmental, social and economic impact, access NCG resources and facilitate networking to help improve performance over time.
Co-ops use Co+efficient to complete the annual Food Co-op Impact Survey, a set environmental and social sustainability questions that provide essential data NCG uses to communicate how co-ops benefit their communities to consumers, industry partners and Congress.
How Co+efficient Works
Co+efficient includes four main components:
- Providing a common framework: Co+efficient includes a set of metrics to measure and manage a co-op’s sustainability performance. Since you can’t manage what you don’t measure, these metrics help determine the baseline and measure changes over time.
- Giving meaning to the data: Co+efficient’s dashboards visualize multi-year trends, perform calculations (like GHG emissions and energy use per square foot), and allow comparison between co-ops and learning from peers. This helps provide context and meaning to the data, so co-ops can determine their next steps on the road to improvement.
- Facilitating progress: Co+efficient includes numerous tools and guides to help co-ops make improvements that will lead to measurable change.
- Helps co-ops tell their story: Helps co-ops tell their story. Co+efficient makes it easier for co-ops to share the story of their sustainability successes in annual reports, newsletters, websites and on social media.
Benefits
- Easy to use. Enter data into a single survey or Excel spreadsheet. Your greenhouse gas emissions will be automatically calculated.
- Comparative. Utilize benchmarking tools that show how your store’s performance compares to other participating NCG co-ops.
- Useful. Use the framework to identify areas for improvement and drive greater efficiency and cost savings
- Shareable. Display the dashboard in your store or export data and charts for use in annual reports, presentations, or marketing materials.
Costs
All NCG co-ops receive two complimentary Co+efficient user accounts.
Participation Requirements
Participation is open to all NCG member co-ops. NCG recommends each co-op designate one or two Co+efficient users to dedicate sufficient time to complete the Food Co-op Impact Survey every January/February. The survey contains additional optional metrics, and users are able to enter metrics monthly if they prefer. In addition to having an interest in sustainability, the liaison should be comfortable using Excel files and navigating the internet.
How to Enroll
Contact Cole Hawthorne with questions about how to access your co-op’s complimentary Co+efficient accounts.