PCC 2003 Annual Report

A message to our members from your board

Thank you for another great year for our co-op! Sales continued to be solid throughout the year, due to our CEO's firm grip on the operational administration of the co-op, the fantastic dedication of PCC staff and the tremendous support of our members.

This financial stability came in the middle of a difficult year in the food business. The discovery in Washington state of the first U.S. cow with BSE (mad cow disease), disturbing reports about mercury in seafood, and a hepatitis scare traced to green onions from Mexico made headlines and forced consumers to look closely at the choices we make regarding the food we eat.

There are no guarantees that even the highest quality food will be free of pathogens, but it stands to reason that beef raised on a vegetarian diet in Oregon pastures should be healthier than cattle fed animal-based protein in a crammed feedlot. We can't fix all that is wrong with our oceans, but when we choose Alaskan wild salmon or Oregon shrimp over the farm-raised varieties, we support the local economy instead of aquatic feedlots that are impacting fragile marine environments throughout the world.

How we choose to spend our grocery dollars has important global repercussions. The board is well aware of that fact and continues to work on policies to guide management in solidifying PCC's position as Puget Sound's leading provider of "high-quality, fairly priced, healthful food and other products" and as a business that "fosters a cooperative, sustainable environment in which organic and natural industries can thrive," as stated in PCC's Global Ends Policy.

In the last two years, the board has made it a priority to articulate a coherent position on sustainability and is developing a three-year sustainability program that will define the new PCC triple bottom line approach — environment, social equity and profit.

Parallel to this effort, and in the face of increased competition by conventional and specialized grocery stores, the board has recently started working on developing a long-term strategy for the co-op.

Last year, the board oversaw the revision of our bylaws. It was a necessary task since the bylaws had never gone through a complete overhaul since PCC's incorporation in 1961. By an overwhelming 90 percent majority, PCC members voted to approve the bylaws proposal presented by the board. The board truly appreciates your support on this issue.

This year again, in addition to our annual meeting, we conducted a semi-annual meeting to garner more member input. Our "Talk to the Board" monthly event sent pairs of board members into different stores to listen to members. And as always, the board reviewed all correspondence and listened to members who attended our meetings.

We have appreciated everyone's participation and are counting on you more than ever to help us with our work.

Chantal Stevens, Chair
PCC Board of Trustees