By the Weaver Street Market Board of Directors
As WSM’s Board of Directors we are responsible for the strategic leadership of the co-op and ensuring that results reflect the values of owners. For the past year, we have been evaluating and drafting a revised Ends statement—the Board policy that states WSM’s desired impact or results. The key question we asked ourselves and are now asking owners is “What Difference Does WSM Make in Our Community?” We presented our answer to co-op owners in a draft Ends statement in the 2015 WSM Annual Report. More than 900 owners have provided feedback to the Ends Survey so far.
WSM’s current overarching Ends statement is a “vibrant sustainable commercial center.” This has been our Ends for 15 years and has guided us to where we are today. We’re excited about the revisions we drafted: it both reflects the considerable progress we’ve made toward the current Ends as well as our expanded aspirations for the future.
As we discussed updating the Ends a number of themes emerged that helped us shape our draft:
- WSM transforms the food system not only by selling food but by influencing the larger food system from grower to producer to consumer.
- WSM builds community wealth through shared economics, shared community, and shared knowledge.
- WSM is a shining example of a thriving, community-owned business focused on the community good.
- WSM serves current owners as well as potential owners, including an expanding community in the Triangle who want the kind of experience that WSM has brought to downtown Carrboro, Hillsborough, and Southern Village.
- There is renewed interest in the cooperative business model as a way to accomplish community good.
Our discussions culminated in this new working draft of the Ends. We believe it conveys the difference WSM makes in our community:
It’s the General Manager’s job to translate the Ends operationally, which means he develops a strategic plan for accomplishing the Ends and provides metrics that track the results. In the annual report, the GM presented the following chart which provides updated operational definitions for each element of the draft Ends and a scorecard that reports on 30 metrics that would demonstrate results.
Owners, we would like to hear your feedback on the draft Ends and about management’s draft operational definitions and scorecard indicators. We invite you to take our Ends Survey, which is available online through October 7. As a thank you, we’re offering owners a 10%-off coupon for taking the survey.
Please feel free to email the Board additional feedback to board@weaverstreetmarket.coop or attend one of our monthly Board meetings.