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Cooperatives

Cooperatives (also called co-ops) are a form of business ownership that is practiced all over the world. The most common types of cooperatives are worker-owned and consumer-owned. Most cooperatives adhere to seven principles:

Voluntary and Open Membership

Democratic Member Control

Member Economic Participation

Autonomy and Independance

Education, Training and Information

Co-operation among Co-operatives

Concern for Community

Co-ops include:

Agricultural: farms, feed suppliers, and seed banks.

Computer and Internet: ISPs, web hosting, and computer design collectives

Energy: utility companies and power providers

Financial: banks, credit unions, investors, insurers, and mortgage brokers

Food Cooperatives: health-food stores and bulk food sharing programs

Housing: housing cooperatives and intentional communities.

Visual Arts: groups of artists, both living and working together.

Sites in Cooperatives

Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester Co-op
A consumer co-op with activities in food, motor and travel retail, funeral services and childcare.

HEAT USA
A heating oil co-operative.

Fruition Natural Spaces
A Dorset based co-operative of skilled craft people covering garden services, stone masonry, carpentry as well as sculpture and traditional building methods.

North American Students of Cooperation
Federation of campus-based housing and retail cooperatives in Canada and the U.S.

Cornell Cooperative Extension
An educational system that enables people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. Includes course goals and general information.

United Norwest Co-operatives
A UK consumer co-operative active in northwestern England, offering services and products as diverse as food, furniture, travel and funerals.

Co-operative News
An independent publication for the UK co-operative sector.

Cooperatives and Nonprofits on the Internet
Directory of co-op links, organized by business sector.

Think electric collective
A worker owned and operated electrical contractor in Eugene, Oregon dedicated to providing living wage union jobs wile building a sustainable future.

Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives
COPAC joins businesses of the cooperative movement with the United Nations, and farmers' and workers' organizations. General info on COPAC and its member organizations.

Canadian Co-operative Association
Official information on anglophone co-operative businesses and credit unions in Canada.

Alpha Communication Ltd
A workers' co-operative providing graphic design, exhibition stand design and 3rd sector communications services in the North East of England.

European Community of Consumer Cooperatives
General information on European cooperatives; members site includes forum, message boards, articles, and coop chat.

International Co-operative Alliance
Information about co-operatives worldwide from the ICA, their apex organization.

The Phone Co-op
A highly successful consumer co-operative in the UK telecommunications sector.

Cooperative Business Archives
Archives for UWCC's Cooperative Business mailing list.

Co-op Group
The world's largest co-operative society, with activity in a number of retail sectors, and subsidiaries in insurance, financial services and many more area (formerly known as CWS group).

ILO Cooperative Branch
Cooperative publications, articles, and links by the English-based International Labour Organization.

Iowa Institute for Cooperatives
Legislative Action, education & training business development assistance from this state organization.

Co-operative Union
An umbrella organization for UK co-operatives, providing a political voice. Also incorporates ICOM, a worker co-op body.

Bicycle Doctor
Worker co-op providing cycle and bike equipment in Manchester, UK. Includes bicycle FAQ, online catalog, and links to bicycle groups in England.

Klien Karoo Co-operative
Produces ostrich leather, ostrich feathers and ostrich meat, as well as providing multiplication, distribution and marketing of quality pasture and vegetable seed.

Co-opNet
Electronic mailing list run by the Southampton Co-op Network to promote cooperatives. The emphasis is on UK co-ops, particularly worker co-ops. Includes links to list archives.

UK Co-op Online Directory
A guide to the co-op movement and a directory of UK co-ops, sorted by field of work.

Calverts Creative Co-operative
A London based progressive communications company providing design and print for screen and paper. Includes company information and an estimate form.

Cooperative Hall of Fame
The Cooperative Hall of Fame honors those distinguished individuals whose contributions to cooperative business have been genuinely heroic. Includes biographies of inductees and general information on the organization.

Environmental Services Co-operative
Co-operative created by environment scientists whose main aims are to promote and tackle environmental issues in various sectors.

Regional Co-operative Development Centre (RCDC)
A community economic development co-operative providing full organizational and business development services to new and developing co-ops.

1|20 Media
Workers' co-operative providing 3D previsualization and multimedia services.

National Cooperative Business Association
Contains general information on American cooperative businesses, a co-op events calendar, and NCBA membership information.

Ditas
Danish buying group for do-it-yourself products. Corporate profile and financials, map of members, and related links provided.

usura
A co-operative of skilled professionals offering a wide range of services. We undertake a range of projects harnessing the skills of individual members, and group projects utilising the specialist skills of several of our members.

Total Coverage
Design co-operative offering graphic, web and exhibition design, as well as corporate identity

Paperback
Supplying recycled graphic and office papers.

Grassroots Economic Organizing
A newsletter about worker co-ops, economic democracy and sustainable, stakeholder-owned, democratically managed businesses in the US and worldwide.

Orion Counselling and Research Co-operative
Handbooks about managing cooperatives, and links to worldwide cooperatives. In English, French and Spanish.

Humetasys Consumer-Purchasing Cooperative
Product line is geared toward a mission of promoting ‘basic home systems.'