Where we are headed matters. If we don’t know where we are going any road will do. A primary responsibility of a board is to define the reason for the organization’s existence. What are we here for? What should be different because we exist? For whom? For a board that uses Policy Governance®, Ends are written policies which define a) results, outcomes or benefits [...]
By Rose Marie Klee 162 September-October 2012 Wheatsville Co-op, established in 1976, has become a mainstay of the local business scene in Austin, Texas. Through our first decades, we were initially focused on survival and on cultivating our community of members; and over the past decade, we have grown our relationship with the national food co-op community. Connecting through CCMA (Consumer Cooperative Management Association) [...]
By Michael Healy and Nina Johnson Accountability is a key ingredient in a healthy democratically controlled cooperative, and clearly crafted policy is a first step in a robust accountability system. This is especially true with the policy that articulates the co-op’s purpose, the Ends policy. What role do Ends policies play within the Policy Governance model? How can a board write Ends policies that [...]
Directors who are diligently trying to fulfill their fiduciary duty regularly notice things within their co-op that may be cause for concern – or at least worth asking about. At the same time, these same directors want to honor the Board’s clear delegation to the GM and that GM’s professional judgment. How can responsible directors do both? This Field Guide will outline an approach [...]
Table of Contents (links to youtube) Chapter 1: Governance = Accountability and Empowerment Chapter 2: Understanding Ends and their Role in PG Chapter 3: How to Write Effective Compelling Ends Policy Chapter 4: Effective Ends Policies: "Before & After" Chapter 5: Summary & Resources
Bill Gessner, Co-op Development Consultant CDS Consulting Co-op Minneapolis, MN Widely known throughout the food co-op community, Mr. Gessner has travelled the country helping grow co-ops and start new ones. His experience gives him a unique insight into the strengths and the potential of the cooperative movement.
By Todd Wallace 161 July - August - 2012 Our co-op boards are groups elected and charged with a common purpose: fulfilling the legal and moral obligations of their co-op, on behalf of a diverse set of member-owners. Their fiduciary responsibilities demand high-quality deliberation and decision-making to ensure both the cooperative's fiscal prosperity (its health as an enterprise) and the continued relevance and achievement [...]
Brett Fairbairn, Fellow in Cooperative Thought & Ideas [bio] Centre for the Study of Cooperatives at University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK, Canada "Change is the new normal", says Professor Fairbairn. And it's up to us and our imaginations to stay on top of all this change. By considering cooperative ventures as both enterprises and associations, we can think about adapting nimbly to both [...]
Tom Webb, Manager Masters of Cooperatives and Credit Unions at St. Mary's University Halifax, NS, Canada Professor Webb has unique perspectives which he brings to the topic of the Cooperative Difference [chapter 1]. He shares with us his compelling vision for a truly Cooperative Economy [chapter 2]. And poses a challenge to help spread the cooperative model across all sectors [chapter 3]. [...]
Michelle Schry, General Manager People's Food Co-op, LaCrosse, WI
