What's a co-op?

A cooperative business is a type of organisation that is both owned and controlled by its members

How does a co-op differ from a corporation?

(non-cooperative) corporations exist to maximize shareholder wealth.

cooperative corporations

Why are cooperatives so great?

Community wealth

Co-ops can provide quality goods & services to area that have been shunned by traditional businesses because they are deemed to be less profitable markets

Co-ops typically invest in local communities

Since cooperative members tend to be local residents, business profits remain and circulate within the community

Cooperative membership builds social networks and strengthens social cohesion, which are essential elements of strong, diverse, healthy communities

Purchasing cooperatives help small, local businesses remain competitive within markets dominated by large, national retailers

Worker cooperatives create quality, empowering jobs for community members

History of the Co-op Movement

'Anti-Mill' flour mill in Hull 1795

Owenism

Fair exchange

Just price

Right to charity

The Seven Rochdale principles

voluntary and open membership

democratic member control

member economic participation

autonomy and independence

education, training, and information

co-operation among co-operatives

concern for community

FAC + Co-ops

We are a social enterprise that reinvests our profits into achieving our social objectives.

Our social objectives

Develop the knowledge and skills of the general public

Provide a welcoming environment where our members can study, work together, and contribute to the study programme

Beneficiaries of FAC aren’t the staff (like in a worker's co-op) but are instead current and future participants in our study programmes

So why is FAC so keen on co-ops?