Co-operative News - New Zealand

I ♥ Co-ops: Cooperative Business New Zealand

Emily Barker — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:44:29 +0000

I ♥ co-ops shows the amazing power of co-operatives in the different trades and sectors throughout the world.

This week we have featured a video of Ramsey Margolis, Executive Director of Cooperative Business New Zealand.

We want to hear from you, if you want to take part in I ♥ co-ops then email us at emily@thenews.coop

Share your story of co-operation! #Iheartcoops

Imagine 2012: All co-operatives can make one small change

AnthonyMurray — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:43:41 +0000

Co-operatives can do one simple thing to change the economic system, according to a speaker at the Imagine conference.

The economic event taking place in Quebec City heard from Dr Ronald Colman, who told delegates on Sunday that co-operative leaders can take this one piece of advice away from the conference and act immediately.

Dr Colman said co-operatives are in a new paradigm; and the movement can help enact change globally: "Co-ops are one of those rare institutions that is planting the seeds of the new economy. Co-ops are potentially one of our best hopes, if change does not happen in the co-op movement then where else are we likely to find it?"

During his presentation on 'What is progress and how can we manage it', Dr Colman believes co-operatives can start a new form of financial reporting. "An accounting system that begins with social, economic and environmental impacts," according to the founder and executive director of GPI Atlantic, a non-profit research group dedicated to developing comprehensive accounts and measures of wellbeing and sustainable development.

GPI Atlantic has constructed a full Genuine Progress Index for Nova Scotia, Canada (www.gpiatlantic.org); and Dr Colman appealed for co-operators to use this system for their needs.

He said: "Everyone has a set of annual financial reports, and they all follow an accounting system that is no different to the very accounting system that got us into the mess we're in today. So, if we can take this one little thing we can begin to make a change.

"If co-ops worldwide can begin to structure their financial reports to take into account environmental, social and economical costs, then that can bring change."

Dr Colman, who is currently working on bringing these measures of natural, human and social capital into Bhutan’s National Accounts, argued that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) just reported the money spent; and did not take into account the "invisible" human, social and ecological costs made through consumer decision.

He cited examples such as the transportation of butter from New Zealand to Chile reported no real costs since "greenhouse gas emissions are invisible". Such actions also send inaccurate signals to policy makers, as well as the public, said Dr Colman.

He added: "We currently measure how well-off we are as a society by how fast the economy is growing. The growing economy is being called robust and healthy, but this sends misleading signals to policy makers.

"The more trees we cut down and the more we deplete our fish stocks, the more our economy will grow. The more fossils we burn, the better our economy. It makes no distinction between activities that create benefit and those that cause harm, such as crime, sickness, pollution, war, cigarette sales, junk food, natural disasters."

Dr Colman believes co-operatives can do better: "This is not an appropriate accounting system for co-operatives. There is a reason co-ops are grown as such and we do our own members a disservice through the adoption of a standard accounting system.

"We need a set of accounts that include human capital, health, education. If we make an investment in cleaning up a polluted river, we should report that.

"In our accounts, there are measures of value, as well as measures of progress. We measure reductions in poverty, reductions in equity, reductions in crime as gains."

Dr Colman said co-operatives need to adopt three basic principles when constructing financial reports:

• Internalise externalities, explained Dr Colman: "So if you give your workers time off to do volunteer look at the work, if you see recycled paper you use that as a benefit. All of these things are measurable. If you stop serving water in plastic bottles and use jugs, you should include that. Look at the social, human and environmental externalities."

• "Recognise the economic values of non-market service," said Dr Colman. "So volunteer work and unpaid work inside the household should be reported, even though it's not part of the flow of money." He cited a study in Denmark that showed the Dutch unemployment rate was reduced by making part-time work more attractive and creating equal benefits compared to full-time workers. Added Dr Colman: "More jobs were created, and the Dutch have one of the highest rates of productivity."

• The third basic principle is to shift from fixed to variable costs. Dr Colman explained that while annual insurance may be paid for a car, the emission of the vehicle and number of miles driven needs to be reported. If an organisation offers free parking, it should instead charge for parking and offer incentives for car pooling.

Dr Colman encouraged delegates to look at case studies and other examples through his website (www.gpiatlantic.org); and told co-operators around the world to connect with the team behind GPI. He said that if there is any one institution to make this change and create hope, then co-operatives are best placed to carry this out. He closed by saying: "You could be a powerful force in this new paradigm."

Indo-Kiwi cooperative venture in Punjab

Ajay Jha — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:03:17 +0000

Indo-Kiwi cooperative venture in Punjab

New Zealand Minister for Primary Industries who is paying India a visit has met Punjab Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and offered to work together with the state in agriculture and dairy field. The New Zealand minister is leading a 22 member delegation.

Sukhbir Singh Badal said cooperative organisations of Punjab and New Zealand could combine forces in various fields and make a remarkable impact on the global market.

Punjab govt sources are quoted saying the Kiwi minister is keen on exploring the possibilities of joint ventures in Punjab so his country could show its technological prowess in farm sector.

Admiring Punjab for its excellent performance in agriculture and dairy field, the visiting minister said New Zealand and Punjab could share their common expertise in agriculture and at the same time his country could provide Punjab with technological know-how to preserve perishable farm items.

The minister did not let go this opportunity to appreciate the good work Sikhs living in New Zealand are putting in to make his country’s economy strong and vibrant.

I ♥ Co-ops: Ashburton Trading Society co-operative

Emily Barker — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:36:46 +0000

I ♥ co-ops shows the amazing power of co-operatives in the different trades and sectors throughout the world.

This week we talked to Ashburton Trading Society co-operative, a farmers’ co-operative based in Ashburton, which was named Co-operative Capital of New Zealand.

Hello, please tell us about your co-operative?

ATS (Ashburton Trading Society) is a rural supply’s co-operative based in the Mid Canterbury town of Ashburton, New Zealand.

ATS was formed in August of 1963 by seven local farmers who were seeking a means of achieving lower input costs for their farming businesses and begun with a card supplier network.

Today ATS has a growing membership of more than 3,000 shareholders, boasts over 250 card suppliers, operates three retail outlets and has various subsidiaries and associates in related fields so to keep lowering costs for members and retaining our brand as 'the real farmer’s co-op'.

How is your community involved in your co-operative? And how is your co-operative involved in your community?

ATS’s mission is lowering costs for our farming communities. At ATS we see ourselves as very much a part of local rural communities and in turn enjoy giving support back to the community.

We currently have naming sponsorship with various local sport events including the Longbeach Coastal Challenge and the new Riverside Sports Centre; and the local Arable y’s group (an under 35 arable farming group). We also are involved in many agricultural events, local education, sports and community groups, and are a bronze partner with the NZ Cooperatives Association – Year of the Cooperative.

What landmark journey/s has your cooperative taken, or is about to take?

The ATS co-operative celebrates its 50 anniversary in 2013 and we look forward to celebrating the successes that ATS has achieved over the last 50 years since the initial seven farmers started the business in 1963.

ATS’s biggest success is being 100 per cent wholly co-operative and operating solely for its shareholders. We focus entirely on our core business and market, and with our staff striving to return the best value to our members, this has helped ATS to become the rural supply’s business of choice in our area.

Can you define co-operation in one sentence?

A co-operative is owned and democratically controlled by its members and exists primarily to serve these members and return surplus revenue to them in proportion to their use of the co-op.

One of the principles of cooperatives and a great way to spread the co-op message is to work with other cooperatives. Do you work with any other co-ops?

We align ourselves with other co-operatives locally and nationally by promoting the International Year of Cooperatives. But also many of our members often belong to a number of other co-operatives both nationally and locally and understand the value of a co-operative and enjoy that way of doing business.

Find out more about ATS co-operative:

Wesbite: www.ats.co.nz/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/0800BUYATS

We want to hear from you, if you want to take part in I ♥ co-ops then email us at emily@thenews.coop

Share your story of co-operation! #Iheartcoops

3 other research groups will also reveal the results of their studies

Lyne Gagnon — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Here is our last article of a series on groundbreaking international studies whose results will be revealed for the first time at the 2012 International Summit of Cooperatives.

The Summit presents a summary of the studies from these 3 research groups:

PricewaterCoopers

Forum 1 "Doing business our way – Winning strategies for doing business differently" – Agriculture and agrifood

Theme of the study: A world map of the agricultural movement and its critical issues

Summary: The objective of this study is to map the strength of the cooperative movement, based on an international ranking of cooperative players compared to a ranking of the major players in the private agrifood sector in Europe, the United States, Canada, South America and New Zealand. The study also explores the major trends driving today’s cooperative agricultural and agrifood sector. 2 themes are explored in depth: innovation strategies and access to financing.

When: Wednesday, October 10, 10:45 a.m., room 200C, Quebec City Convention Centre

Presentation: Yves Pelle, Partner and European Leader, Agricultural Co-operatives, PricewaterCoopers, France

Chair of the forum: Claude Lafleur, Chief Executive Officer, La Coop fédérée, Canada

Oliver Wyman

Lunch debate: Bank Stability and economic growth, the contribution of co-operative banks
Forum 5 "Doing business our way – Winning strategies for doing business differently" – Financial

Theme of the study: Outlook on cooperative banking 2012: Banking on values, building on agility

Summary: An update of the study published in 2008 (Cooperative bank: Customer Champion) will present the strengths and challenges implicit in the cooperative banking model, especially in the post-crisis landscape, and what they imply for supervisors and regulators. The study will highlight the success of the stakeholder model (as opposed to the shareholder model) and how it helps strengthen the global financial system through diversity. The study will also emphasize the need for plurality in setting regulation across the sector, while illustrating the underpinnings and key features of the model in a rapidly evolving and challenging environment.

When:

Lunch debate: Tuesday, October 9, 12:45 p.m., room 200B, Quebec City Convention Centre (by invitation)
Forum: Wednesday, October 10, 12:45 p.m., room 200B, Quebec City Convention Centre (for all participants)

Presentation (forum): Véronique McCarroll, Partner, Oliver Wyman, France

Chair of the forum: Hervé Guider, General Manager, Groupement européen des banques coopératives (GEBC), Belgium

Ernst & Young

Conference breakfast (by invitation)

Theme of the conference: Enlightened Governance for Better Cooperation

Summary: In anticipation of the Summit, Ernst & Young conducted a global survey of executives and directors of cooperatives and mutuals to identify current and future governance issues facing these organizations. This breakfast conference will address the findings from the global survey, the current governance challenges faced by cooperatives and mutuals and ways to overcome these challenges.

When: Wednesday, October 10, 7:00 a.m., room Porte Kent/St-Louis, Hilton Quebec Hotel

Presentation: Anne-Marie Hubert, Managing Partner, Advisory Services, Ernst & Young, Canada

The 3 studies are central to the Summit program and are an invaluable source of information.

About PwC

PwC is a network of firms in 158 countries with close to 169,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services.

PwC supports cooperatives, especially in the financial, agricultural and insurance sectors.

For more information, please visit the PwC website.

About Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman is a global leader in management consulting. With offices in 50+ cities across 25 countries, Oliver Wyman combines deep industry knowledge with specialized expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, and organization transformation.

For more information, please visit the Oliver Wyman website.

About Ernst & Young

Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. Worldwide, our 152,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and communities achieve their potential.

For more information, please visit the Ernst & Young website.

One million people to see NZ's cooperative capital

NZCoopsocialmedia — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:40:58 +0000

An estimated one million people will be told in big bold signage that Ashburton is the Cooperative Capital of New Zealand when they drive through the South Island town on State Highway One.

With signs are being erected at each end of the town and a daily traffic count of more than 16,000 cars and an average of two people in each car, up to one million people will see the Cooperative Capital signs for the month they are on display.

More than 40 cooperative businesses can be found in and around Ashburton. For this reason the Cooperatives Association awarded Ashburton the title Cooperative Capital of New Zealand as part of the UN International Year of Cooperatives 2012.

PHOTO CREDIT: KIRSTY GRAHAM (Ashburton Guardian)

Open Invitation: Cooperative Education Seminar in Wellington

Ajay Jha — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 03:20:57 +0000

Ramsey Margolis is the Executive Director of New Zealand Cooperatives Association. The letter is written to me and through me to the cooperators of India. We are sure it’s a good opportunity to learn and share the cooperative values. Excerpts

Ajay hi,

Each year, the New Zealand Cooperatives Association runs an education seminar in Wellington for directors and executives of member cooperatives and mutuals. Last year fifty people from New Zealand, Australia, Canada and Thailand were involved over the two days, it was a tremendous success.

This year’s seminar will be on Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 September. Would you or any of your colleagues from India be interested in attending? As an educational experience it would be formidable, and as a co-op networking event, these seminars are second to none — I’ve no doubt that Indian cooperators would make useful and worthwhile contacts there.

The theme is ‘Why A Co-op?’ and we will be looking at what it takes to run a successful member-owned business. For the first time, we will have a keynote speaker: Paul Hazen from Washington DC.

Paul was until recently the CEO and President of the National Cooperative Business Association, and I don’t doubt that from his 25 years experience with that organisation will have much to offer on the success of US cooperatives. (Incidentally, there are 29,000 cooperatives in the USA, and the 100 largest had a 2010 revenue of US $194 billion.) We really are fortunate to be able to bring Paul to New Zealand and I strongly encourage you to ensure you have a presence there.

There’s a web page for this event at http://nz.coop/education-seminar-why-a-co-op/. By the end of the week, it will be possible to go to that page and register online for the seminar.

Due to space limitations we are restricted to forty people this year and I’ve every reason to believe we will get that number, so I advise you to decide sooner rather than later.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Cooperatively yours,
Ramsey Margolis
Executive Director

Co-operatives need a “swift kick up the ass”

Emily Barker — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 09:57:55 +0000

Co-operatives need a “swift kick up the ass” said Jack Wilkinson, President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers 2002-2008, at a conference in New Zealand.

Mr Wilkinson, from Canada, criticised the co-operative movement for having a “weak” brand and not “maximising our potential” at the ZASCM Cooperative Conference held in Wellington on 22 June 2012.

A self described “big fan of co-ops”, he is on the board of one of Canada’s largest insurance co-ops and a regional agricultural and fuel co-operative, he is also a member of UN International Year of Co-operatives Advisory Committee.

He went on to say that the International Year of Co-operatives was an incredible opportunity, but criticised the branding of the movement.

He said: “We’re not doing a very good job in many parts of the world of maximising our benefit. I think our brand is weak, I think up until recently people were almost embarrassed to put co-op behind their name. They view themselves and other people view them as dinosaurs from a business point of view.”

The former farmer lambasted the “terrible PR and communications strategy” of co-operatives, adding: “we have this ability to talk amongst ourselves about how wonderful we are, but we are afraid to cross the street and sell the mission to other people and bring them in.”

Mr Wilkinson praised the UK co-op movement for using a “common brand” and said: “people want to belong.”

He spoke highly of the Occupy movement and said it was a “perfect fit for the expression of co-ops” and explained that co-operatives should have been there handing out brochures, but “we weren’t there”.

Finally, he invited members to attend the Quebec International Summit of Co-operatives from October 8 to 11.

The Quebec co-operative movement is very strong; it includes the highly successful Desjardins financial group.

Ashburton Crowned Cooperative Capital of New Zealand

NZCoopsocialmedia — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 03:04:21 +0000

Boasting more than 40 cooperatively owned businesses, Ashburton on State Highway One and the Mid-Canterbury rural hinterland has been crowned the “Cooperative Capital of New Zealand”.

The NZ Cooperatives Association has awarded Ashburton the Cooperative Capital title as part of the UN 2012 International Year of Cooperatives, which is being recognised by cooperatives around the world.

NZCA chairperson Blue Read says Ashburton’s cooperatives provide for virtually every farming, business and household requirement a community could ever want or need.

“Just as Paeroa has its large bottle of L&P, Ohakune has its carrot and Rakaia its large scale salmon, we are offering Ashburton the right to erect the International Year of Cooperatives emblem on its outskirts as a welcome to the region,” Mr Read said.

Local farmer Jack Allan is a Fonterra milk supplier and a former chairman of the Ashburton Trading Society, now branded ATS. He likes the idea of Mid-Canterbury and Ashburton being branded the cooperative capital.

“Just look at what cooperatives have done for the region and even nationally.” Mr Allan said. “Cooperatively-owned buying groups like ATS have been the catalyst for competitive prices in the rural supplies sector for the entire Canterbury Province and even further afield.”

“When ATS started we didn’t advertise for members. Farmers saw the benefits and just joined. Most farmers would have recouped their membership fee with their first fertiliser order,” he said. “For farming to be successful we rely on keeping our costs in check and maximising the sale of what we produce.”

Cooperatives are more prolific in rural areas, which is put down to the community knowing their neighbours and a greater readiness in the country to help each other out.

“At $210 million, ATS turnover through its fertiliser, fuel, electricity, rural supplies and the ATS card is truly impressive and it arguably has one of the highest single-store revenue/turnovers of any rural supplies stores in the country,” Mr Allan said.

“When Ashburton Electricity was separated and established as a lines company, people readily accepted it as a cooperative, because they have high regard for the transparency and ethics of cooperative businesses.”

Mr Allan said irrigation schemes were another good example of people working together for a business objective and where every member is dependent on the performance of the cooperative.

Ashburton District Council Mayor Angus McKay said he was delighted with the “Cooperative Capital” title, and is a member of several local cooperative businesses. He is particularly proud of Ashburton Electricity which returns $3 to $5 million (depending on profitability) to the community each year. This includes between $100 and $140 in free line charges for low income families.

“It’s Ashburton to a T and has my total support,” Mr McKay said. “I’d be happy to promote the idea with the council, the community the local cooperative businesses to see how we can best use the “Cooperative Capital” branding.

Cooperatives servicing Ashburton and Mid Canterbury include:

Acton Farmers Irrigation Cooperative
Alliance Group
Ashburton First National
Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation
ATS (Ashburton Trading Society)
Ballance Agri-Nutrients
Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation
Capricorn Society
Cochrane’s of Canterbury (Origin Agroup)
CRT
Coural (Rural Couriers Society)
East Side Gallery Cooperative Society
Electricity Ashburton
Flowers and Balloons (Interflora)
FMG (Farmers Mutual Group)
Fonterra Cooperative Group
GJ Blacklow (Tradezone Industrial Group)
Hec’s Four Square (Foodstuffs South Island)
Health 2000
Kitchen Kapers (Composite Retail Society)
Lyndhurst Water Scheme Cooperative
Mayfield Hinds Irrigation
Mitre 10
Netherby Four Square (Foodstuffs South Island)
Netherby Pharmacy (CDC Pharmaceuticals)
New World Ashburton (Foodstuffs South Island)
NZCU Baywide (ex-Manchester Unity Credit Union)
NZCU South
Paper Plus
Rabobank
Ravensdown
Redmonds Furnishing & Flooring (Composite Retail Society)
RD1 (Fonterra Cooperative Group)
Searles Allentown Pharmacy (CDC Pharmaceuticals)
Silver Fern Farms
Smith & Church Appliances (Appliance Connexion)
Stepping Out (Composite Retail Society)
Stewart & Holland (Appliance Connexion)
The China Shop (Composite Retail Society)
Todds Fashions (Composite Retail Society)
UFS Ashburton (CDC Pharmaceuticals)
Valetta Irrigation
Wises Pharmacy (CDC Pharmaceuticals)

Interest in Co-ops grows in New Zealand

AnthonyMurray — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 09:59:11 +0000

Ramsey Margolis, Executive Director of the New Zealand Co-operatives Association, reports a doubling in the number of enquiries at a time when 10% of New Zealand’s top companies are co-operatives and co-operative banks have made record profits. See the full interview.