Housing

Author:  Jeanie Wells Food co-ops are known for being compassionate employers. Unlike some of our big competitors in the grocery industry who only work to maintain their organization's interests, food co-ops seem more likely to try to accommodate individual interests and preferences alongside the organization's priorities. This is a great thing, something that food co-ops should be proud of. But do we sometimes go too far? How can we tell when the ...

Author:  Staff Video Series on Food Co-ops A video series, "Lights, Cameras, Co-ops: Exploring the Country's Thriving Food Co-ops" has been launched by the National Cooperative Grocers Association:www.strongertogether.coop/premiere/index.html.   This production is colorful and fast-paced, highlighting local producers, delicious food, and co-op businesses and their community impact. It began Jan. 21 with three examples in Minnesota; on Feb. 6 ...

Author:  Dave Gutknecht Alongside many new cooperatives that are springing up, established food co-ops continue to evolve and deepen their community roots. This edition has several substantial reports that illustrate these trends and maturing businesses. Given the self-starting, participatory nature of food co-ops, much of their early history consists of trial and error while winning community loyalty and becoming more professional in both operations ...

NCBA has been invited to bring 150 cooperative leaders from around the United States to the White House to engage in an open dialogue with senior Administration and federal agency officials on a range of key issues, including how co-ops are impacting job creation, food security and energy.

Joanne Lechasseur, the Summit's program director, had very successful meetings in Berlin, Germany, where the International Conference on the Cooperative Responses to Global Challenges was held from March 21 to 23. The objective of this conference was to develop an interdisciplinary platform for setting the research agenda in the field of cooperative studies beyond 2012. Germany: a country with a rich cooperative tradition Ms. Lechasseur had many interesting discussions with people at the ...

As they work to improve their performance, cooperative organizations are facing two major needs: a clarification of their definition, and evaluation criteria that are compatible with their characteristics and diverse nature. Such was the consensus of the speakers, panellists, and attendees of the European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises (Euricse) conference held on March 15 and 16 in Venice, Italy. In addition to the drafting of an appeal to the European Union ...

For some time now, ICMIF has been promoting member engagement as one of the key competencies necessary for running a successful cooperative and mutual business. But it is clear that certain membership models make it easier to engage than others. So what challenges do the various models present and what are ICMIF members doing to address them? It is pleasing to see that The Ownership Commission Report (recently published in the UK) is promoting the virtues of member engagement. The report will ...

28 March 2012 Earthworker Cooperative's work to micro-finance the purchase of the factory equipment for Eureka's Future Workers Cooperative through recruitment to its 100,000 Australians Campaign has started. Earthworker Cooperative's work to micro-finance the purchase of the factory equipment for Eureka's Future Workers Cooperative through recruitment to its 100,000 Australians Campaign has started. At $AU20 per member, Earthworker ...

29 March 2012 The 2012 National Housing Co-operatives Conference was held on 8-9 March 2012 to celebrate that housing is just the beginning and that Housing Co-operatives have achieved so much more than that. The 2012 National Housing Co-operatives Conference was held on 8-9 March 2012 to celebrate that housing is just the beginning and that Housing Co-operatives have achieved so much more than that. Common Equity Housing Limited and South East Housing ...