Why Be a Member of a Cooperative?

From food to electricity to industry purchasing groups and everything in between – Cooperatives can look like any other business from the outside. But when you take a look at the inside workings, you discover that instead of focusing on profits for owners and shareholders, Co-ops are primarily interested in the benefits and services they can provide their members.

What Is a Cooperative?

A Co-op is a business or organization that is owned and democratically run by the people who use its services. By joining a Co-op, a group of like-minded individuals can unite to run a business and realize their common economic, social, and cultural aspirations. Often, members can take roles and offer professional services in these Cooperatives to earn additional benefits when member earnings are calculated.

Why Be a Member of a Cooperative

There are several benefits of joining a co-op, including:

• Vertical integration: Cooperatives offer members the chance to grow along with their products. In the case of agricultural Cooperative planting and selling cotton, you gain dividends for every level of the supply chain you and your crop conquer. Since you’re a grower-owner, you have a stake in each step your cotton takes to reach its destination. You end up making more money rather than losing it.
• Local money circulation: Local or rural Cooperatives generate money for user-owners, who earn it back as dividends and inject it back into the Cooperative’s farming operations. The money is also frequently spent on other business users, keeping it in local circulation for the growth of the community.
• Diversity, equality, and inclusion: During formation, Co-ops are always open for voluntary memberships, making it easier for anyone to join, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, or educational background.
• Ownership status: Members own shares of the business and are often entitled to special discounts, deals, education, training, services, and sometimes even a dividend check at the end of each year. Most often, people won’t receive these benefits without becoming members.
• Democracy: Membership entitles people to a voice in the organization’s operation. Representatives are elected to the board of directors. And, because every member and employee is directly affected by decisions, there’s a big incentive to get involved in the process.
• Those who give, receive: An important Co-op principle is that members accept the attached responsibilities – including voting and economic participation. Those who give reap the rewards. And, unlike for-profit businesses, Co-ops are not exclusively driven by profit – they are driven to serve their members, employees, and communities.
• Independence: Cooperatives are independent organizations controlled by their members. If agreements, mergers, or changes are proposed, it’s up to members to decide if it’s in the best interest of the Co-op.
• Strength in numbers: Co-op members and employees often collaborate and innovate with and even with Cooperative organizations.

Why Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) Supports Joining a Cooperative

At SBS, we believe in the power of togetherness embedded in the foundation of Cooperatives. Anyone can patronize a business, but those involved with Co-ops have a say in how that organization is run and its future direction. As they say, membership has its privileges.

We’re big fans of Co-ops, and it’s our privilege to assist so many of them in executing successful member elections. In the sharing Cooperative spirit, we’ve put that valuable knowledge into a free e-book, “The Cooperative Election Handbook.”

Contact Us Today to See How We Can Help With Co-Op Elections

If your Co-op has questions about giving members a voice through voting and surveys, please contact us anytime. We’re here to help!

Does your Co-op offer its members any additional benefits? Let us know in the comments below!