Independent professional services company Turner & Townsend is providing project, programme and delivery management for the Co-op’s extensive rebrand over the next five years.

The global consultancy, which has been at the forefront of delivering the rebrand to the first stores, will be responsible for managing the rollout of the iconic blue cloverleaf Co-op logo.

More than 70,000 employees across the UK will take part in a “Back to being Co-op” programme, helping to educate staff about the benefits of membership and reconnect them with the Co-op’s heritage through 5,000 colleague events across the country.

The rebranding marks a return to the core values of one of Britain’s most famous retail brands. From the autumn, Co-op members will receive a 5% reward for any purchases of own brand product and services with a further 1% benefiting local causes through a new community reward scheme.

In April 2015 The Co-operative Group posted a return to profit after the troubled mutual, which last year reported a loss of £2.3bn due to the near collapse of its banking arm, benefited from the sale of its farms and pharmacy operations as it posted a net profit of £216m for 2014.

Mike Lumb, Project Director for Turner & Townsend, said: “We’ve been working with the Co-op for a number of years and are delighted to being using our expertise and experience in retail to help deliver this transformational programme.

“Turner & Townsend has immense respect for the heritage of the Co-op and its brand values, which are both focused on community and its workforce.”

Allan Leighton, Chair of the Co-op, said: “We are on the verge of creating a new Co-op economy, one where the trade from our members clearly benefits them, their communities and our thousands of suppliers.

“Our brand identity, whether seen on a Fairtrade bottle of wine, on a funeral home fascia or on our insurance website, will signify a better way of doing business.”