Cooperatives: Difference between revisions

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m (moved Cooperative business to Cooperatives: not only businesses, cooperatives can include nonprofit organizations)
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shared and increased economic prosperity?
A co-op is a legal entity, owned and controlled by its owners who share decision-making authority, profits and, in some cases, liability for debts. Co-ops normally fall into three types –- '''consumer co-ops''', '''producer co-ops''' and '''worker-owned companies''' -– and they operate under seven principles:
# Voluntary and open membership
# Democratic member control
# Economic participation by members
# Autonomy and independence
# Education, training and information
# Co-operation among cooperatives
# Concern for community<ref>[http://www.austinpost.org/austin-news/austin-co-ops-thriving-city-grows Austin Co-Ops Thriving as City Grows]</ref>
 
The United Nations has declared 2012 as the "international year of cooperatives."<ref>[http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/ga11164.doc.htm United Nations Launches 2012 International Year of Cooperatives] General Assembly President Says ‘People-Centred’ Cooperative Movement Critical to Advancing Development Agenda, Promotes Equality, Social Integration</ref><ref>[http://social.un.org/coopsyear/ United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2012]</ref>


== See Also ==
== See Also ==

Revision as of 17:10, 15 August 2012

A co-op is a legal entity, owned and controlled by its owners who share decision-making authority, profits and, in some cases, liability for debts. Co-ops normally fall into three types –- consumer co-ops, producer co-ops and worker-owned companies -– and they operate under seven principles:

  1. Voluntary and open membership
  2. Democratic member control
  3. Economic participation by members
  4. Autonomy and independence
  5. Education, training and information
  6. Co-operation among cooperatives
  7. Concern for community[1]

The United Nations has declared 2012 as the "international year of cooperatives."[2][3]

See Also

  1. Austin Co-Ops Thriving as City Grows
  2. United Nations Launches 2012 International Year of Cooperatives General Assembly President Says ‘People-Centred’ Cooperative Movement Critical to Advancing Development Agenda, Promotes Equality, Social Integration
  3. United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2012