Born through collaboration, the unique Luminary Programme takes this opportunity and turns it into everyday advantage. It shines a light on ways to make intelligent surplus management an asset for business, a benefit for the planet, and a force for good in communities everywhere.
The programme has been conceived and developed by Company Shop Group, funded with £1.96m awarded by Defra specifically to help the group’s bold ambition of harnessing hard-to-reach surplus.
Devised and delivered by the brightest minds in supply chain surplus, it invites visionary thinkers from like-minded businesses to learn together and share ideas, and to develop new ways to inspire and influence others. The reward for participants will be the satisfaction of contributing to a transformative change in the way business thinks and works: a change whose positive legacy will last forever.
For over 50 years John Marren has led the growth of Company Shop Group with the passion to do the right thing and release the full social and environmental value of surplus. Here John shares his story and his learning and invites others to join the journey.
See the full videoOur compelling films introduce each module and its topic, and give a useful breakdown of its purpose, content and activities.
These films represent an exclusive opportunity to gain insight and inspiration from respected thought leaders.
The featured personalities are experts in their respective fields, and include John Marren, the entrepreneur and founder of The Company Shop Group.
Specially developed activities will help you develop a wide range of advanced business and people skills, many of them transferable, and all of them essential for completing the Luminary Programme.
These include skills like identifying opportunities, disruptive thinking and influencing others. Ultimately, the skills will help you implement radical positive change in your own organisation, as well as helping your personal career progression.
The online mentoring call is a chance for you and your fellow Luminaries to share any ideas and questions with a dedicated mentor, and also share the outputs of your weekly activities.
You’ll enjoy the chance to speak with – and learn from – industry leading experts. Your call can be recorded, edited and saved, or even published on a special Learning and Development platform too, making it an invaluable tool for rapid and collective progression.
The programme’s creators are leading figures and thinkers in surplus management, with unrivalled knowledge in this increasingly important commercial discipline. Together, they’ve devised a step-by-step learning and development experience that simplifies your journey by consolidating it into four consecutive modules.
Our first module is FLOODLIGHT – designed to deliver a thorough appreciation of the wider context of our collaborative mission.
FLOODLIGHT casts its light over the problem of waste from an industry perspective, leaving until later any in-depth analysis at a company level.
By starting with this broader overview of what’s really going on with UK waste, you’ll gain a far better grasp of the ways you and fellow Luminaries can help spearhead change.
Activities here cover areas including distilling your thinking, the Five Whys Model, and a face-to-face meeting with a mentor at your workplace. A unique chance to talk about your organisation’s journey towards change.
Your interest in The Luminary Programme already demonstrates a willingness to explore beyond and think more freely - that’s a very good start.
Our second module - KALEIDOSCOPE - builds on this, and it will give you the skills and confidence to challenge norms, shake things up, and discover different ways of working...
Better ways of working.
In this module, you’ll explore disruptive thinking models and hear from an expert in this subject, and your activities will include a ‘reverse brainstorm’, an imaginative thinking exercise, and a fascinating How.wow.now.no matrix to complete.
You’ll also cover ‘mindsets and difference thinking’ in this module’s expert-led mentoring call.
TRANSFORMATION LIES AT THE HEART OF THE LUMINARY PROGRAMME...
...which means that change management will be an essential requirement inside your own organisation, with you in control.
This module - SWITCH - covers topics like decision-making, overcoming barriers and influencing those around you, and it will help to develop the various techniques and power of persuasion you need for effecting change. Activities include worksheets on areas like changing systems and mindsets, alignment with compliance frameworks, and the so-called four quadrants of Friend, Ally, Annoyer, Adversary – an essential tool for exploring and managing stakeholder relationships.
WITH THE PREVIOUS MODULES COMPLETED AND THE GROUNDWORK NOW IN PLACE, this is the point from which your own organisation’s future relationship with surplus really starts to take shape.
SHINE combines mentoring with coaching support to help you develop and implement a relevant and workable plan. Tools you’ll be using include a KPI Matrix, Change Pathway Model, Empathy Map and Story Capture Plan.
This more personalised module acknowledges the fact that from here onwards, any input and interventions need to be meticulously tailored to your own organisation. And with our ongoing support during and following this module it really is your time to SHINE!
Company Shop Group is built on the belief that business is about purpose as well as profit. Our integrated model ensures that our industry partners experience a professional service that delivers the commercial, environmental, and social value they need.
See the full videoThis video gives a flavour of how Company Shop Group handles some of the surplus products we receive, ensuring brand integrity is protected and the products have a safe and compliant route to our members. All the products you're about to see are in date and great to use, but for one reason or another, they've been classed as surplus.
See the full videoBuilding stronger individuals and more confident communities is about much more than just food. Here Gary Stott shares the story and thinking behind Company Shop Group's award-winning social enterprise.
See the full videoDoing the right thing in business changes lives forever. Over the years Community Shop has welcomed tens of thousands of people on their journey to become the best version of themselves. Listen to the power of one of those stories here.