Three intertwined policies that form a whole – a trinity – make up the foundation of our unique, multi-stakeholder, community-owned business structure.
As any woodworker knows, a 3-legged stool is the strongest design. In this post, we take a moment to explain how the Ownership Model, Handmade Policy, and Points & Tiers Policy interact with each other to incentivize, empower, and engage our community.
Ownership Model
Our Ownership Model lays out in one page who our members are and what the rights and responsibilities are of each.
In the Ownership Model, Artisan eligibility and responsibilities are defined by the Handmade Policy. For all members, buy-in amounts and financial benefits are determined by the Points & Tiers system.
Member responsibilities and governance rights are differentiated simply by member class, just like most cooperatives. Regardless of points or tiers, all members have:
- “One member, one vote” on bylaw changes, major decisions, and representatives
- The ability to run for and elect their representatives on the Board of Directors, which is still be divided by membership class in order to ensure diverse representation
- The ability to submit proposals for the co-op
- Access to member-only perks, such as access to newsletters and lower sales commissions for Artisans
Read the rest at Artisans Cooperative
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