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What is a Co-op?
Cooperatives, such as grocery store cooperatives, are enterprises that are jointly owned and democratically governed by their members. They aim to reflect their communities' values and meet their economic, social and cultural needs.
As enterprises based on values and principles, they put fairness and equality first, prioritizing the generation of sustainable jobs and prosperity. Managed by producers, users or workers, cooperatives are run according to the "one member, one rule”.
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The basic cooperative model was born out of the Industrial Revolution in the early 1800’s and the first co-op was founded in 1844 in Roachdale, England. ​You can watch a trailer for the co-op explanatory film Food for Change here: https://foodforchange.coop​
National Co-op month is October!​
The 7 Cooperative Principles
Most co-ops abide by the Seven Cooperative Principles, first drawn up by the Rochdale Alliance. They are still the foundational guide for co-ops around the world, although recently there have been some adjustments in wording to bring them into line with today’s more diverse societies and complex modern social issues.
Here they are as adopted by the International Cooperative Alliance in 1995:
Voluntary
membership
Membership in a cooperative is open to all people who can reasonably use its services
Democratic member control
Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members
Member economic participation
Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative
Autonomy and independence
Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members
Education, training and information
Education and training for members, elected representatives (directors/ trustees), CEOs, and employees
Cooperation among cooperatives
By working together cooperatives improve services, bolster local economies and effectively deal with social and community needs
Concern
for community
Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies supported by the membership
The
Triple Bottom Line
Our Co-op, and most others, adhere to the “Triple Bottom Line” of Profit-People-Planet, which defines the Co-op's operating principles. Having concerns beyond just profit immediately sets co-ops apart from conventional markets. In the cooperative business model, energy and resources devoted to societal and environmental needs of the community can be made available partly because of the absence of top-heavy management (CEOs, shareholders, etc.).
Types of Co-ops
Co-ops exist to offer a wide variety of services and products. For example, there are electric co-ops organized under the National Rural Electric Co-operative Association (NRECA, www.electric.coop), housing co-ops, which have become vital in helping provide affordable housing across the U.S., and the familiar outdoor equipment store, REI Co-op.
Food co-ops are the most numerous, however; they have along history and number in the hundreds just in North America. Go here for a complete list and how to find them: