Case Study: SHRUB Co-op
Who are SHRUB Co-op?
SHRUB Co-op is a community-led, environmental co-op based in Edinburgh, operating as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) since 2018.
Founded in 2008 by students at Edinburgh University, SHRUB has tackled climate change and waste through circular economy initiatives such as their Swapshop, Food Sharing Hub, and mendining and upcycling workshops, as well as encouraging active travel through the Wee Spoke Hub, and many other community events.
The co-op is membership-driven, governed by consensus, and has grown to over 500 members. SHRUB is organised non-hierarchically and is committed to democratic, co-operative values.
Why did SHRUB Co-op come to us?
SHRUB faced acute financial and organisational instability following the loss of significant core funding set to end in March 2025. This led to major questions about the viability of continuing and options such as downsizing, restructuring, or winding down were discussed.
The co-op wanted support with:
- Clarifying trustee governance responsibilities and membership engagement
- Objectively reviewing project costs for financial sustainability and income diversification
- Developing strategic planning tools for decision-making around redundancies, business planning, and closure or restructuring options
What work did we do?
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Facilitated trustee meetings to clarify responsibilities and ensure compliance with SCIO principles and SHRUB’s constitution, especially regarding the Treasurer role and legal obligations.
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Guided trustees on involving members through Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) and working groups to maintain democratic decision-making.
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Developed policies and tools for conflict resolution, internal communication, and grievance handling to improve clarity and accountability.
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Advised on scenario planning around staffing costs, redundancy processes, and lease management including break clauses.
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Facilitated a sensitive meeting between trustees and staff to openly discuss the funding challenges and available options, ensuring transparent communication and constructive dialogue during a difficult transition period.
Trustee, Shrub Co-op
Weekly meetings allowed Aaron and Jo to support us in areas such as redundancy procedures, navigating difficult decisions, conversations with the staff team and ensuring we handled all of this in a professional and respectful manner….a professional down to earth service that will support and guide you with care and expertise.
Aaron Hirtenstein, Co-operate Scotland
Supporting SHRUB at such a challenging moment was profoundly rewarding. I hope that, alongside providing advice and guidance, we were able to offer the emotional support needed to help ease the process and support the trustees, members and staff through this difficult transition.