This event has now finished.
  • Date and time: Monday 14 February 2022, 12.30pm to 1.30pm
  • Location: Online only
  • Audience: Open to alumni, staff, students, the public
  • Admission: Free admission, booking required

Event details

One Planet Week event

Imagine a workplace with no bosses, where everyone has equal pay and an equal say.

Imagine a workplace with no bosses, where everyone has equal pay and an equal say. Suma is a worker owned co-op based in West Yorkshire that’s been doing things a bit differently for over forty years.

The largest equal pay co-op in Europe, Suma’s 300 workers own and run the business together. Everyone has an equal say in what we do. We all get paid the same wage, take responsibility and do a range of jobs each week, from truck driving to cooking to accounts.

This session will provide an overview of how Suma offers a different way of running a business, and looks at benefits equity in the workplace brings, as well as some of the challenges.

It’s an opportunity to discuss how to run a democratic co-operative business.

This event is organised as part of OPW2022. Find out more via the One Planet Week page on the University website. This year's theme is Equity and Local Economy, which you can read more about on the UoY Sustainability blog. #OPW22

About the speaker

Giles Simon is a member of Suma. He’s worked in a variety of roles at Suma, and with co-ops for around 10 years before that. Previously he researched democratic theory and practice.