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The New Ventures Panel
The New Ventures Panel (NVP) was set up by Co‑operativesUK to identify new opportunities in appropriate areas of the economy that have the potential to be successful co‑operative ventures.
The panel was established in response to the Co‑operative Commission report of 2001, which recognised the need for the consumer co‑operative movement to embark on new commercial ventures and develop into new areas (recommendation 20).
The Comission report recommended that the movement should identify opportunities for co‑operative enterprises, with various ownership structures, to be developed in areas which are now under public or private ownership and management.
The Commission also recognised the value of some of the new co‑operative enterprises that have developed in recent years and implied the need for them to be supported and nurtured.
How the New Ventures Panel Works
The New Ventures Panel operates through a series of technical working groups which each drive a programme of work. They are open to all practitioners and organisations with relevant expertise and experience, and an interest in promoting the development of co‑operative solutions in that area of the economy. Involvement is on a voluntary basis. The technical working groups report back to the New Ventures Panel.
Currently there are five such technical working groups:
Routes to New Ventures
New co‑operative ventures comes from many different routes:
- Existing consumer co‑operatives expanding into new commercial areas (e.g. West Midlands Co‑operative Society's development of elderly care services);
- Co‑operative solutions to mainly service provision in public ownership areas (e.g. Greenwich Leisure, North East Music Co‑operative - NEMCO);
- New start enterprises, responding to gaps in the market, often instigated by one or a few co‑operative entrepreneurs (e.g. The Phone Co‑op), with this being segmented into essentially local businesses rooted in their community and those which might have a national focus, or both like Baywind Energy Co‑operative;
- Existing businesses converting into co‑operative or mutual structures (e.g. Tullis Russell, Tower Colliery;
- Small co‑operatives which can, with extra support, grow into larger ones or develop a broader market focus.
- More about the New Ventures Panel:
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