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Health Co-ops in Canada and Around the World
This paper was written by Jean-Pierre Girard of Université du Québec à Montréal, who has been a member of the International Health Co-operative Organization (IHCO; affiliated with ICA) for the past 10 years.
The Worker Co-operative Movements in Italy, Mondragon and France: Context, Success Factors and Lessons
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to analyze the public policy environment, capitalization environment, availability of federation support, and the context for the worker co-op movements in each of Italy, Mondragon (Spain) and France. These three countries or regions have the largest, most dynamic worker co-op movements in the world. To grow a large worker co-op movement, a system of supports is required to enable the transfer of appropriate knowledge to many people, in addition to having access to worker coop-friendly sources of capital. Although there were some success factors in each region which could not be easily replicated in other places and although there were significant differences among regions, there were many common elements contributing to the success of the worker co-op movement in all three places. These were: (1) sufficient capital accessible to worker co-ops; (2) technical assistance provided to worker co-ops in the start-up phase; (3) a mandatory indivisible reserve, at least for those “mostly mutual” worker co-ops which were able to receive government support; (4) significant federation and consortia structures which support, guide, direct, and help educate the worker co-operatives; (5) significant concentrations by industry; (6) a strong sense of solidarity and inter-cooperation; and (7) scale: having achieved a size and strength to enable the worker co-op movements to be taken seriously by governments, the broader co-operative sector, etc.
The Worker Co-op Sector in Canada: Success Factors, and Planning for Growth
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to provide an analysis of the current state of the worker co-op movement in Canada with a focus on successful worker co-ops. A deepened review of a 2008 survey was conducted. Worker co-operatives which have failed were analyzed, and a full-day workshop with the CWCF Board of Directors was conducted to assess the factors that would lead to faster growth in the sector. The research project also involved surveying 13 worker co-operatives across Canada to identify common factors of success. The survey results indicated that a large majority of founding members in these successful worker co-operatives did not have business experience. Overriding this was the willingness of members to work together and to continuously learn on the job in a working environment that allows them to express their values and social concerns. Through this, successful worker co-operatives were able to carve a niche in their business sector by providing high quality goods and services. Other factors critical to success were access to capital and creative financing, including members’ significant commitment to sweat equity, and available technical and industry resources to assist with the challenges of business and co-operative organizational development. By better understanding the success factors for individual worker co-operatives, the goal of CWCF is to pave the way for more growth and more success for worker co-operatives across Canada.
UN Economic and Social Council Report - Co-op's Featured
In 2007, the UN's Economic and Social Council published a report entitled "Promoting full employment and decent work for all." This report observes the impact on micro-financing, entrepreneurship and worker co-ops.
LIFE Co-op: Local Initiative for Future Energy
LIFE Co-op: Local Initiative for Future Energy
Green Energy Act
Bill 150, The Green Energy and Green Economy Act (GEA), was tabled at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on February 23, 2009. According to the Green Energy Act Alliance, the vision of the GEA is “To make Ontario a global leader in the development of renewable energy, clean distributed energy and conservation, creating thousands of jobs, economic prosperity, energy security, and climate protection.” ...
OECD/LEED released study on social enterprises
In 1998, the OECD/LEED released a study on social enterprises, which represented the first report of the phenomenon carried out by an international organisation. A year ago, I received an invitation to be associated with a new book showing the new phase of consolidation in which social enterprise is entering. From the perspective of the diverse OECD countries members, this book offers a broader view of government support for social enterprises, ad hoc support tools, appropriate financial tools as well as the new legislation providing social enterprise with new opportunities. I depict the very inspiring case of Quebec multi-stakeholder co-ops, Solidarity Co-ops which included a closer view of the situation in the health care field. From their side, Margie Mendell from Concordia University has written a paper about financial tools for social enterprises base on a comparison between different OECD countries members. The result has been the recent release by the OECD/LEED of the book, The Changing Boundaries of Social Enterprises. It can be order under paper version at: http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?K=5KZ9HDCSX4KC&lang=EN&sort=sort_date%2Fd&sf1=kwords&st1=social+enterprises&sf3=SubjectCode&st4=not+E4+or+E5+or+P5&sf4=SubVersionCode&ds=social+enterprises%3B+All+Subjects%3B+&m=3&dc=57&plang=en Or under electronic format at: http://www.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/display.asp?CID=&LANG=EN&SF1=DI&ST1=5KZ9HDCMB3LS Happy reading! Jean-Pierre Girard
Business Model Comparison
Ontario Co-operative Association, 3 pp. Chart comparing the co-operative, corporation, partnership, and sole proprietor business models on a wide variety of attributes from values and decision making to survival rate and taxation. A second chart compares the co-operative with the investor-owned business and nonprofit organization based on principles, voting, shares, securities regulations, distribution of surplus, and dissolution.
The Role of Cooperatives in Community Development
Center for Cooperatives, University of Wisconsin, 4 pp., 2002. Describes the strengths of the co-operative model as a community development tool and the contribution it makes to the local economy.
Cooperatives: What They Are and the Role of Members, Directors, Managers, and Employees
USDA, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Report 11, 121 pp., 2001. Description of the co-operative structure and principles and how co-ops differ from other business structures. Discusses the role of members, directors, and management of the co-operative.
Choosing a Business Structure: A Comparison
Government of Saskatchewan. Benefits of co-operatives to farmers and communities. Comparison of co-operative with other business structures.
An Overview of Available Business Structures
Rural Adaptation Council Inc. and the University of Manitoba. Describes sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, and co-operative business structure and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Building Co-op Futures youth conference 2008
Building Co-op Futures...in a Carbon Neutral World.
Presentations and web streams from the 2008 Co-op Youth Conference.
Co-ops and Sustainability
Keynote Presentation by Yuill Herbert.
This presentation by Yuill Herbert was the opening to the 2008 Building Co-op Future Video Conference. His presentation puts sustainability at the forefront of the co-operative movement and set the tone for a new generation of co-operators to ensure that sustainbility is considered a top priority of the way we do business...co-operatively.
CEARC iSORP discussion paper 1 Objectives, scope and purpose
CEARC iSORP discussion paper 1 Objectives, scope and purpose.
Comments feedback deadline is July 31, 2008.
CEARC working paper 2: Towards a conceptual framework for co-operative accounting
CEARC working paper 2: Towards a conceptual framework for co-operative accounting.
Comments feedback deadline is July 31, 2008.
CEARC working paper 2: Towards a conceptual framework for co-operative accounting
CEARC working paper 2: Towards a conceptual framework for co-operative accounting.
Comments feedback deadline is July 31, 2008.
Loss Absorption Approach to Defining Equity - PAAinE
The attached discussion paper was developed by the German standards setter and published on Monday (28th Jan) by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) on behalf of Pro-active Accounting Activities in Europe (PAAinE).
This paper sets out an alternate approach which defines financial instruments as equity (or not) based on whether they absorb losses. This approach would define co-operative member shares (potentially including those that do not have a claim on the residual net assets) as equity. The following co-op example is taken from the paper:
IE10 Share puttable, exercise limited to par (cooperative bank)
Fact pattern:
· Entity J issues puttable shares, repayable at par at the holder’s request.
· Entity J has reserves of 100m CU.
· Accounting losses are deducted from reserves, but if losses are sufficient to deplete the reserves, further losses are allocated pro-rata amongst shares then in issue, so a member’s claim after depletion of the reserves is reduced.
· The claim of the shareholder is then for the par value less her/her share of further losses after reserves are depleted.
Analysis
The entity is able to absorb losses of 100m plus the shares in issue before a shortfall arises
Result: Equity
This discussion paper is well worth a read and sets out a good case for abandoning the current IAS 32 and proposed FASB approaches and instead adopting the Loss Absorption Approach. It is a comprehensive, coherent, well made case and the best response I’ve seen so far to the prevailing view.
Labour and Co-ops
Hazel Corcoran's presentation from the 2007 CWCF Annual General Meeting.
Social Capital and Financing Co-op Start-Ups
Marty Frost's presentation from the 2007 Annual General Meeting.
Blood & Oxygen
Peter Hough's presentation from the 2007 Annual General Meeting on surviving the first three years of your co-op's launch.
Simple Technology and Tips for Co-ops and NGOs
Jason Diceman's presentation from the 2007 CWCF Annual General Meeting.
Co-operative Development in a Competitive World
Russel Christianson's presentation from the 2007 Annual General Meeting.
Decision-Making
Decision making document.
Excerpt:
The most effective style of decision-making depends on the situation. Small co-operatives often make major decisions (like working hours, pay rates, customer service policies, by-law changes, etc) using consensus. Why? Because properly facilitated consensus decisions allow everyone to express their point of view, listen to others, and come to the best decision for the group as a whole. Consensus provides ample opportunity for respectful disagreement and when a decision is reached it’s usually the best solution and people are committed to making it happen. Consensus decreases the chances that people will change their minds after the decision is made or feel left out of the decision and therefore unmotivated to contribute to its implementation.
The Capitalization of Co-operatives
A comprehensive presentation by MCE Conseils of Montreal on capitalizing a co-operative, given at the CWCF 2005 Conference.
