Americans in all walks of life are creating companies with business models driven by social purpose, not just their own pocketbook priorities.
In the U.S., for example, 64,000 companies are structured as “cooperatives” set up to benefit workers, members, consumers, and the broader society.
The foundation of the cooperative is an idea for a business that produces material and social good together, which in turn also does good for workers’ communities.
Blumenthal got the idea for transforming his business into a worker-owned cooperative because of his friendship with the former sole proprietors of Real Pickles in Greenfield, who successfully transitioned their business into a worker-owned cooperative. The idea began to really take off around two years ago thanks to the involvement of Jim Armenti, who has taught music at Downtown Sounds for four decades, and David Faytel, a former business professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
A statewide convening focusing on the advancement of a worker ownership movement as well as the broader solidarity economy in Massachusetts.
KO_OP describes itself as an “an artist run game studio,” and is your quintessentially quirky modern video game developer, having worked on everything from experimental soundscape projects like Skipping Stones, to the monster face puzzle solver GNOG, and even expansion packs for the Tomb Raider mobile spin-off, Lara Croft GO. Despite this, it’s not what makes KO_OP stand out. It’s the way KO_OP, as a developer, is structured; KO_OP is also a co-op.
In this 2018 GDC session, KO_OP's Saleem Dabbous explains the reasons behind the structure of KO_OP and how that structure lays out a different vision for game development, one that is more ethical and survivable.
I don’t think it is inherently unjust to have an organisation with some hierarchical forms. You might have a communications department, alongside an engineering department, and they may both be contained by some coordinating function.
Tony Silvernail grew hemp for the first time in June 2018. He was ready to give it up by the fall — his small farm of only 20 acres made it difficult for him to get the attention he needed to purchase quality seeds and the prices he could afford to process his CBD oil for this year.
Atlanta, GA (March 19, 2019)- This morning, the James Beard Foundation announced that the Federation of Southern Cooperative's Executive Director, Cornelius Blanding, is one of five recipients in the Leadership Award category. The Leadership Awards are part of the James Beard Foundation’s Impact Programs, which works to establish a more sustainable food system through education, advocacy, and thought leadership.
Co-ops allow their employees to also be the owners. But state law doesn’t recognize them as a business entity, which makes it hard to get financial backing.State Rep. Carol Ammons, a Democrat from Urbana, is sponsoring legislation that would change that.
“It’s very difficult for traditional banking institutions to work with a cooperative model, unless we correct the legal definition of cooperatives,” Ammons said.
Advocates say worker co-ops create dignified jobs with living wages in areas with low employment.
The women of the Mujeres Emprendedoras Cooperative started their small catering business for more than just themselves.
“I am living my full purpose in my work. I feel a deep sense of comradery with my co-workers. I feel agency without the overwhelm of total responsibility. I am deeply happy with my job.“
We’ve all heard stories about conference behavior getting out-of-hand. It’s glorified in ostensibly benign comedies dating back decades, and it seems that every office has its own lore about so-and-so doing such-and-such while under the influence or, perhaps, out from under the influence of so-and-so’s spouse. From what I’ve observed, at least, that type of behavior has either become less typical or has become less overt (hopefully from becoming less acceptable) even in just the last ten years or so. That’s good, right? But there is plenty o
