#69 Cooperative Leadership with Claire Costello

What if the alternative to capitalism’s excesses isn’t revolution—but quiet reinvention?

In this episode I’m joined by Claire Costello, Chief People & Inclusion Officer at Co-op Group. We explore how Co-op’s values-led, member-owned structure creates a different kind of leadership. One that's attuned, distributed, and accountable.

Claire describes how Co-op’s flexible executive structure, enterprise-wide mindset, and strong connection to its 6 million members foster leadership that is both commercially astute and socially responsible.

Claire joined the Co-op in 2019 as Chief Procurement officer and moved to her current role as Chief People and Inclusion Officer at the Co-operative Group in 2022.

Her team works across 3 core areas: setting and delivering the strategy for Reward, Wellbeing, Employee Relations, Inclusion, Skills, Colleague proposition and Leadership development; supporting the strategic people challenges across a diverse set of business areas; and delivering a pensions proposition to 54,000 colleagues and 30,000 pensioners.  

Claire is also on the Board of Co-op Academies Trust as a Trustee.