Can Fair Employers Still Be Part of the Co-op Movement?
Cooperation Isn’t All or Nothing
While the seven cooperative principles give us a clear standard, not every business can apply them all at once.
What matters is your direction, whether you’re starting fresh, adapting an existing company, or staying founder-led but sharing power.
Don’t Demonise Every Business Owner
Not every traditional business is exploitative.
Some traditional business owners already:
- Share profits or equity
- Involve staff in decisions
- Pay fairly and offer security
Even if they aren’t formal co-ops, their practices can align with cooperative values.
It’s About Structure, Not Shame
You don’t need to give up your business to do better.
The co-op model is a structural upgrade, not a moral purity test.
The goal is to create systems that empower people, not pressure them.
Three Practical Pathways
- Starting together? Use full democratic co-op structures.
- Already running a business? Consider future conversion.
- Need to retain control? Still build in shared voice and value.
Pathway One: Start as a Co-op
If you’re building something new with others, begin with shared ownership and democratic control.
Apply the 7 cooperative principles from the start (this is the ideal time to embed them). When the team is aligned, the structure can reflect that from day one.
Pathway Two: Convert Over Time
If you already run a business, you can embed cooperative principles gradually. Share profits, invite meaningful staff input, and when the time comes to exit, give workers the first right to buy the business (ideally with support from co-op lenders or networks).
Pathway Three: Stay Owner-Led, Still Share Power
Not every founder will transition to a full co-op.
But you can still build a cooperative culture by opening up decision-making, being transparent, and sharing profits with those who make the business work.
Even without structural change, culture matters.
Hybrid Example: Giffgaff
Giffgaff isn’t a co-op, but it:
- Uses 'member' ideas to create and improve services
- Runs peer-led support instead of a call centre
- Shares a fixed percentage of profits (10% or more) through a “payback” scheme
It blends cooperative values into a private company structure.
Common Thread: People Have a Voice
Whether fully democratic or not, what sets these models apart is this:
People are seen as contributors, not just consumers or labour.
Principles, Not Perfection
The seven co-op principles aren’t commandments.
They’re values that can guide how we:
- Make decisions
- Share value
- Build trust
Even partial steps matter.
Why This Matters
In a system built on control, even partial participation is radical.
These changes:
- Distribute power
- Build trust
- Make workplaces more resilient and fair
You Don’t Have to Wait
Don’t wait to be perfect. Start where you are.
Add one co-op principle. Then another.
That’s how the movement grows.