Co-op types
Different needs. Different ways to co-operate.
Start with the people who belong and the purpose they share. A co-op model, a sector and a legal form describe different things.
Who is the organisation for?
Worker co-ops
Members organise a business around their work, with democratic ownership and control. Employment does not automatically confer membership; the rules and joining process explain eligibility and rights.
Residents or people with a shared housing needHousing co-ops
Members participate in the ownership or management of their housing. Occupancy, tenancy, allocation and contribution arrangements depend on the particular model and rules. Cohousing is not automatically a co-operative.
People within an eligible common bondCredit unions
Member-owned financial organisations offering products such as savings and loans. Eligibility and product terms vary. Credit unions have specific legal and regulatory requirements and are regulated by the FCA and PRA.
Farmers or other producersAgricultural co-ops
Producers can organise shared purchasing, marketing, processing, equipment or services. Trading commitments, member contributions and the distribution or retention of surplus depend on the organisation.
Members supporting energy activityEnergy co-ops & community energy
Co-operatives can develop energy projects, while community energy also includes community benefit societies and other organisations. Generation, supply, advice, volunteering and investment are different activities. Capital invested in a project is at risk.
Customers or service usersConsumer co-ops
Members own and influence a business that serves them. Elections, participation, benefits and use of surplus are determined by the organisation’s rules; a dividend or discount is not a universal entitlement.
Members organised around a social purposeSocial-purpose co-ops
A co-operative can pursue a social mission through democratic member ownership. Social enterprise describes a purpose and way of doing business; it is not itself a legal form or proof that an organisation is a co-op. A CIC or charity is not automatically co-operative.
Two or more member groupsMulti-stakeholder co-ops
A co-operative may bring together workers, users, producers or community members in different membership groups. Its rules define representation and decision rights; equal numbers of seats or cross-group vetoes are not automatic.