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About Us: What is a Co-op?
What is a Co-op?
A cooperative is an
independent group of people joining freely to meet their common
economic, social and cultural needs via a community owned and
democratically governed business.
All co-ops are
guided by 7 basic principles.
-
Voluntary and
non-discriminatory
participation—all
are welcome to join!
-
Democratic control—you
have a voice and a vote!
-
Owner economic
participation—owners
contribute financially to
their cooperative and also
receive direct and indirect
financial benefits.
-
Independent—co-ops
are autonomous, self-help
organizations controlled by
their owners only.
-
Educational—cooperatives
offer education and training
to their owners so they can
successfully manage their
co-op. They also educate the
larger community about the
nature and benefits of
co-ops.
-
Cooperation among
cooperatives—
co-op owners and the co-op
movement in general are
served best by working
collaboratively with other
local, regional, national
and international co-ops.
-
Concern for community—while
focusing on owner needs,
cooperatives work for the
sustainable development of
their communities through
policies accepted by their
owners.
For more information on food
co-ops and co-ops in general,
please visit some of these
links:
www.ncba.coop
www.cgin.coop
www.cooperativegrocer.coop
University of Wisconsin Center
for Cooperatives: “Cooperatives:
A Tool for Community Economic
Development,” good background
information about cooperatives
and the roles that they play in
the community. Available at:
www.uwcc.wisc.edu/manual/cover.html
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