Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance
By Marilyn Scholl, Art Sherwood 170 January - February 2014 Great leaders demonstrate how to be a force for good in local communities and beyond. Our cooperative heroes—the Rochdale Pioneers—were striking weavers who opened a [...]
New Governance Model: The Four Pillars of Cooperative Governance
The cooperative board room does not share all the same purposes as investor-owned corporation or nonprofit boards. Co-ops are organized to benefit their owners, and that is more important than a financial return on investment. [...]
Featured Video: Why Growth Matters
At the Cooperative Café in Kalamazoo, Michigan in 2013, participants discussed the question of growth and Sarah Christensen, general manager at GreenTree Cooperative Grocery in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., addressed the group about GreenTree’s approach to [...]
Introducing the Four Pillars
What sets co-ops apart from other companies is their ownership structure, cooperative values and democratic governance. That’s why co-op leadership that is focused specifically on those things that define cooperation is so critical. It’s the [...]
Participation that is Open, Voluntary, Embracing, Safe
Robin Seydel, Membership & Community Development Coordinator La Montañita Co-op, New Mexico
New Resource: Field Guide—Patronage Dividend: Presenting GM Recommendations
One of the key moments in a co-op’s business cycle comes at the end of a fiscal year when it becomes clear how much profit the co-op has generated that year. At that time, the [...]
Grow for the Good of the Movement
Martha Whitman, Board President La Montañita Co-op, New Mexico
Oryana 2020: A Vision for the Future
Steve Nance, General Manager Oryana Natural Foods Market, Traverse City, MI
Why Growth Matters
Sarah Christensen, General Manager Green Tree Natural Grocery, Mt. Pleasant, MI According to Green Tree Natural Grocery GM Sarah Christensen, planning for growth is not an option. You've got to 'Grow or Die'. This is [...]
Patronage Dividend: Presenting GM Recommendations
The “Patronage Dividends for Food Co-ops” Toolbox (available as a free download in the Columinate library) describes the power of patronage dividends as a tool for building strong cooperatives and outlines the steps needed to [...]