Co-ops are created by ordinary people, like you and me, who want to access some kind of goods, services, or benefits we can’t achieve on our own. Starting a co-op, like any business, comes with rewards and responsibilities. But most co-op members don’t understand all of what their membership entails: the rights, responsibilities, and expectations that come with signing up.   

Our friends at the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, Marc-André Pigeon and Dionne Pohler, mapped out the four roles of co-op members. These roles aren’t mandatory for all co-ops or all co-op members — the co-op police won’t come after you if you don’t tick all these boxes. Instead, this list can help co-op leaders set the table for their members, encourage them to participate, and guide members on how they can help their co-op thrive.   

The four roles are:  

1. Co-op members own their co-op

That’s right, if you’re a co-op member, you’re a business owner. When you join your co-op and pay a membership fee, you’re buying shares in that company. And those membership shares give you the legal rights of ownership that come from owning a business. As an owner, you have the right to receive information about the co-op, vote on decisions, attend members’ meetings, and run for a spot on the board. Along with those rights come the responsibilities of ownership. Members are expected to patronize their co-op, attend meetings, and, if necessary, contribute to the co-op if it’s struggling.   

2. Co-op members use their co-op  

A co-op’s purpose is to provide goods or services to its members. The primary relationship between members and their co-op is that members use the co-op. Members bank with credit unions, shop at retail co-ops, reside in housing co-ops, and sell their produce at the farmers market co-op.   

Patronizing their co-op is the most important thing members can do to help it succeed. Some co-ops make this a requirement – they might even terminate the membership of those who haven’t used the co-op’s services for a year or two. And many co-ops require members to meet a target if they want to seek election to the board of directors.   

3. Co-op members control their co-op  

As owners, members control the direction their co-op takes and can influence its path. This control is presented in three ways. First, members make up the board of directors for all co-ops, and the board sets the strategy of the co-op and oversees its work. Second, members must be consulted annually at the co-op’s AGM. That’s where they appoint the auditor, elect the board, and approve the annual report. They can also ask questions and have their say on how the co-op is doing. Third, members must be consulted when making big changes to the co-op, including bylaw amendments, amalgamations, dissolution, or changing the co-op’s purpose.   

4. Co-op members benefit from their co-op  

People create co-ops to access some kind of goods or service, but the benefits don’t stop there! As member-owned businesses, co-ops have an incentive to offer lower prices than their corporate competitors. For instance, housing co-ops charge rents that are $400-$500 cheaper than comparable units, according to CHF Canada. And for-profit co-ops return their profits to members by investing in operations or making payments to members through patronage dividends.   

Your role  

A co-op isn’t just another way of doing business. It’s a tool that brings people together to meet their own needs. And being a co-op member means more than just shopping at a co-op; it’s your way of meeting your own needs and pushing back on the idea that you need government or big business to do things for you.   

Does your co-op reflect these four roles in how it engages with members? And, if you’re a co-op member, do you try to fulfill these roles? If you feel you’ve got some work to do on this front, check out our Intro to Co-ops online course. The Co-op Professionals pathway will equip you with the co-op basics and what you need to know to fully participate in your co-op.