There’s so much more to co-ops…

Welcome! We hope by visiting this site you will learn that there’s so much more to co-ops. We’ll be taking you on a journey, introducing just a few different types of co-ops in the UK. There are over 7000 registered co-ops, owned by 14 million individual members who contribute £40 billion to the UK economy. There are 3 million co-ops world-wide!

Co-ops are a tried and tested model, enabling people to take control over their livelihoods. Co-ops are an established way to empower people and local communities to take charge of their own development, putting people before profit. Co-ops all have one thing in common –they’re all based on a worldwide recognised set of values and principles. We hope by visiting our site you will get a better understanding of the diversity of co-op businesses, how we operate with social goals, and how we work together for a common purpose of sharing the benefits.

Through this interactive learning platform we’ll introduce you to different forms of co-operatives (or co-ops), the diversity they bring, and how they feature in all our lives. It’s especially aimed at educating young people who may be thinking of setting up their own co-op business or wanting to get more involved in their local co-op as a member. Although we are looking at a few different co-op examples, if you have a good idea for a business, anything is possible.