A co-op is a business voluntarily owned by the people who use it and operated for the benefit of its members. It’s a simple concept, with profound effects for people, communities and the economy.
Each co-op is unique, but thousands of co-ops around the world have the Seven Cooperative Principles in common:
- Voluntary & Open Membership
- Democratic Member Control
- Economic Participation
- Autonomy & Independence
- Education, Training & Information
- Cooperation among Cooperatives
- Concern for the Community