Coop and Tdh: 50-year partnership

Coop is Terre des hommes’ partner for our traditional sale of oranges. Every year, Coop backs this project with a donation and so contributes to the sales success. Barbara Irniger, in charge of Public Relations with Coop, gives an interview on the subject of the social responsibility of companies.

What is your position in Coop?

I am the Public Relations Manager. I am responsible for, among other things, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sponsoring.

What does “sponsoring” mean for Coop?

For us sponsoring is an instrument for making and keeping known the brand name “Coop”. Sponsoring is based on service and service in return. In the end it is about an image transfer from the project or event to the brand “Coop”. The Terre des hommes project “Orange Sale” is not a classic sponsoring for us, because here our commitment to society is demonstrated.

How long have you been supporting Terre des hommes?

I could almost say, "Since my birth" the result of searches in the records of both the coop and of Terre des hommes is that the exact date simply is no longer known; certainly it lies a long way back

What are your reasons for deciding to support Terre des hommes?

In Coop we work according to our three pillar sustainability model. The first pillar refers to our engagement with sustainable home brands and seals of approval like, for example, Naturaline or Max Havelaar. The second pillar concerns itself with ecology and resources such as energy and water. The third pillar pertains to our commitment to society and to our employees. Our support for Terre des hommes, developed over many years, fits into this target structure.