Equal Pay Day 2024: Suma Wholefoods Celebrates Zero Gender Pay Gap and hopepunk!
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While many organisations are grappling with how to address gender pay disparities, Suma stands as proof that a fairer system isn’t just a dream - it’s achievable and sustainable. For over 40 years, our co-operative model has shown that businesses can succeed without compromising on equality, ethics, or inclusivity.
This year, we’re also thrilled to share that Suma has been celebrated internationally as a leading example of what’s being called Hopepunk Entrepreneurship. A study featuring Suma as a case study won the prestigious ISBE and International Small Business Journal Best Paper Award for Pushing the Boundaries of Research at the 2024 Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) conference.
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Hide AdThe research, led by Dr Catherine Brentnall (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Serxia Lage-Arias (Vrije University, Amsterdam), explored how co-operative principles like those at Suma embody hopepunk -a concept rooted in working towards a kinder, fairer world, even in challenging times.

Ross Hodgson, Suma’s Company Secretary, commented:“We are delighted to be recognised as an example of hopepunk in action. At Suma, equal pay is more than policy - it’s a core value that reflects how we think businesses should operate. This award reinforces that creating a better, more equal world isn’t just a utopian vision; it’s something co-ops like Suma are already doing every day.”
The study also highlighted that Suma’s enduring success demonstrates how co-operative models can thrive in competitive markets without sacrificing their values. For aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders, Suma’s story offers an alternative to traditional capitalist systems.
As we celebrate Equal Pay Day, we invite others to imagine - and build - a future where pay gaps are history. Equality isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s good for people, communities, and the planet.