Cwmpas, formerly known as the Wales Co-operative Centre, is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Caerphilly, Wales. Founded in 1982 by the Wales TUC, Cwmpas was initially tasked with providing business support to co-operatives across Wales. Over time, the organisation expanded its remit and is now recognised as the largest co-operative development agency in the UK.
Throughout its history, Cwmpas has played a pivotal role in shaping the social economy sector in Wales. Notable achievements include helping to establish the first credit union in Wales in Rhydyfelin and supporting Tower Colliery, which became the largest employee-owned company in Wales. The organisation also set up the UK's first credit union based on an NHS Trust in Bridgend.
Cwmpas’s influence extends to digital and social inclusion, having won contracts to deliver projects like Communities 2.0 and Digital Communities Wales. The organisation employs over 80 staff, with activities spanning financial, social, and digital inclusion, along with co-operative housing schemes and social enterprise development. In 2014, Cwmpas’s advocacy led to formal recognition of co-operatives and social enterprises in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act.
Recently, Cwmpas launched Wales's first Employee Ownership Forum to facilitate peer learning among businesses considering employee ownership structures and continues to run the Employee Ownership Wales service, which supports local transitions to employee-owned business models. The organisation’s ongoing work is primarily supported by Welsh Government contracts and partnerships.