What
is a Cooperative? According to the Law...
A cooperative
is a an autonomous and duly registered association of persons,
with a common bond of interest, who have voluntarily joined together
to achieve their social, economic and cultural needs and aspirations
by making equitable contributions to the capital required, patronizing
their products and services and accepting a fair share of the
risk and benefits of the undertaking in accordance with universally
accepted cooperative principles.
Nature
and Character of Cooperatives
- Cooperatives are service
oriented.
- Cooperatives are community
oriented.
- Cooperatives are people
oriented.
- Cooperatives are owned,
managed and patronized by their members.
- Cooperatives are business
enterprise.
- Cooperatives develop best
through self help and mutual help.
- Cooperatives serve best
when they answer the real and felt needs of the members.
- Cooperatives develop best
from bottom to top.
- The development of cooperative
is enhanced through a multi-sectoral approach.
Cooperative
Principles
- Open and voluntary
membership
- Democratic
member control
- Economic participation
of members
- Autonomy and
independence
- Education
training and information
- Cooperation
among cooperatives
- Concern for
community
How
do co-ops differ from other businesses?
Co-operatives
and credit unions differ from other businesses in three key ways:
A Different Purpose: The primary purpose of co-operatives
is to meet the common needs of their members, whereas the primary
purpose of most investor-owned businesses is to maximize profit
for shareholders.
A Different Control Structure: Co-operatives
use the one-member/one-vote system, not the one-vote-per-share
system used by most businesses. This helps the co-operative serve
the common need rather than the individual need, and is a way
to ensure that people, not capital, control the organization.
A Different Allocation of Profit: Co-operatives
share profits among their member-owners on the basis of how much
they use the co-op, not on how many shares they hold. Co-operatives
also tend to invest their profits in improving service to members
and promoting the well-being of their communities.
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