Co-operatives take an ethical, sustainable approach to business by considering not only the economic impacts of their activities, but also their social/cultural and environmental impacts.

This values-based, triple-bottom-line approach is one that many companies are starting to integrate into their business models as part of their corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts. However, these principles have been at the core of all co-operatives since their inception, positioning co-ops at the forefront of today’s new economy.

Co-operatives are not driven by profit, but by a desire to meet common needs and bring fairness, equity, and justice to the marketplace. The decisions taken by co-ops balance the need for profitability with the needs of their members and the wider interests of the community.