The Co-operative Group - lobby on NOTW
We bank with the Co-operative Bank (well, their internet arm, Smile). Like many of their customers, we chose to do that because of the bank's ethical policy, which is derived from the ethical policy of the parent Co-Op Group.
The Co-Op Group (which covers everything, banking, supermarkets, funerals) has today announced its stand on its approach to advertising in the News of the World. Ford, NPower, Halifax, T-Mobile and others have all announced that they are at least reconsidering their ad spend with the NOTW.
Co-Op has announced today: "These are allegations. We have no plans to withdraw our advertising."
Some things to think about here.
News International has admitted phone-hacking in previous cases.
News International has, to the best of my knowledge, failed to deny the most recent allegation, about Milly Dowler.
There is clear evidence not just of unethical behaviour, but criminal behaviour on the part of the NOTW.
NI has lied repeatedly about the extent of phone-hacking, only later to have to admit that each fresh allegation is true.
The Chair of the Press Complaints Commission today stated that the NOTW lied to the PCC.
The former editor of the NOTW and current UK Chief Exec of News International, has told a Select Committee that the paper has in the past paid police officers for information.
And now, the private investigator who hacked into Milly Dowler's voicemail, has released a statement in which he made no denial of the allegation, but instead clearly stated that his work was at the request of NOTW journalists.
All of which makes the Co-Op's innocent-until-proven-guilty stance look like the mealy-mouthed prevarication it is.
You could phone their Customer Relations line on 0800 068 6727, but rather than speak to some poor sod in a call-centre, you might also want to have a look at the media contacts at the Co-Op group here, including their head of Public Relations. I understand that their Head of Marketing can be contacted at Gill.Barr@co-operative.coop.
If you use any of the Co-Op's services, why not give them a call or write them an email and tell them - politely, but firmly - how you feel about their much-vaunted ethical policy in the light of their continued enthusiasm to pay money to a newspaper which has ALREADY admitted criminal behaviour, and which on a day to day basis is exposed as have committed more, worse each time. If you have a bank account, like we do, tell them that you plan to close it. If you shop there, tell them you plan to take your business elsewhere.
You can also post on their Facebook wall, or message them on Twitter, but I think it's better to hold senior staff of the organisation to account. If anyone has any other contact details, please let me know and I will add them to this. If the Co-Op changes its stance, I'll remove them all.
The Co-Op Group (which covers everything, banking, supermarkets, funerals) has today announced its stand on its approach to advertising in the News of the World. Ford, NPower, Halifax, T-Mobile and others have all announced that they are at least reconsidering their ad spend with the NOTW.
Co-Op has announced today: "These are allegations. We have no plans to withdraw our advertising."
Some things to think about here.
News International has admitted phone-hacking in previous cases.
News International has, to the best of my knowledge, failed to deny the most recent allegation, about Milly Dowler.
There is clear evidence not just of unethical behaviour, but criminal behaviour on the part of the NOTW.
NI has lied repeatedly about the extent of phone-hacking, only later to have to admit that each fresh allegation is true.
The Chair of the Press Complaints Commission today stated that the NOTW lied to the PCC.
The former editor of the NOTW and current UK Chief Exec of News International, has told a Select Committee that the paper has in the past paid police officers for information.
And now, the private investigator who hacked into Milly Dowler's voicemail, has released a statement in which he made no denial of the allegation, but instead clearly stated that his work was at the request of NOTW journalists.
All of which makes the Co-Op's innocent-until-proven-guilty stance look like the mealy-mouthed prevarication it is.
You could phone their Customer Relations line on 0800 068 6727, but rather than speak to some poor sod in a call-centre, you might also want to have a look at the media contacts at the Co-Op group here, including their head of Public Relations. I understand that their Head of Marketing can be contacted at Gill.Barr@co-operative.coop.
If you use any of the Co-Op's services, why not give them a call or write them an email and tell them - politely, but firmly - how you feel about their much-vaunted ethical policy in the light of their continued enthusiasm to pay money to a newspaper which has ALREADY admitted criminal behaviour, and which on a day to day basis is exposed as have committed more, worse each time. If you have a bank account, like we do, tell them that you plan to close it. If you shop there, tell them you plan to take your business elsewhere.
You can also post on their Facebook wall, or message them on Twitter, but I think it's better to hold senior staff of the organisation to account. If anyone has any other contact details, please let me know and I will add them to this. If the Co-Op changes its stance, I'll remove them all.
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