The Charity Retail Association (CRA), the UK’s trade association for charity shops, has launched its new strategic plan describing its planned activities over the next three years. CRA’s new statement of purpose is:
“To lead and support the sector, inspiring everyone to be involved in charity retail and to understand its social, environmental and economic value in a changing world.”
Against a complex and challenging background for retail as a whole, and charity retail in particular, and after extensive consultation with both internal and external stakeholders, the following items have been identified as priorities:
- Lead positive change for charity retail
- Accelerate the growth of reuse and wider sustainability initiatives
- Unite, connect and support the sector to grow and succeed
- Be the recognised authority for insights into the charity retail sector
- Raise the profile of the sector
- Ensure robust and ethical incomes streams are in place to enable the above objectives
CRA have been in the forefront of the charity retail sector since 1999, and are celebrating their 25th anniversary with a number of initiatives, key amongst which is the first ever campaign to find the UK’s favourite charity shop. We now have nearly 500 charity members, including all the household names, representing some 85% of the UK’s 10,200 charity shops, with many more overseas.
CRA chair Emma Peake said: “This new strategic plan shows how far we have come as an organization over the last 25 years and highlights the importance of CRA in the charity retail sector. At a time when all retail faces unprecedented challenges and headwinds, we as an organization do indeed go from strength to strength in supporting our members to continue to raise large sums for the good causes they represent as well as championing sustainable shopping and acting as hubs in their communities. It’s an exciting time for the sector and for CRA, and we hope reading it will convey our key messages of inspiration and understanding.”
