How are co-operatives different?

	Co-operatives and credit unions are driven by both economic and social concerns. They are community-based organizations that care not only about the bottom lines of their businesses, but about the needs of their members and the quality of life in their communities. Co-operatives and credit unions differ from other businesses in three key ways:
A Different Purpose: The primary purpose of co-operatives and credit unions is to meet the common needs of their members, whereas the primary purpose of most investor-owned businesses is to maximize profit for shareholders.
A Different Control Structure: Co-operatives and credit unions use the one-member/one-vote system, not the one-vote-per-share system used by most businesses. This helps the co-operative or credit union serve the common need rather than the individual need, and is a way to ensure that people, not capital, control the organization.
A Different Allocation of Profit: Co-operatives and credit unions share profits among their member-owners on the basis of how much they use the co-op, not on how many shares they hold. Co-operatives and credit unions also tend to invest their profits in improving service to members and promoting the well-being of their communities.

Why should you join a co-op?

If you want to belong to a democratic organization that is owned and controlled by the people who use its services, an organization that can successfully compete in the marketplace without abandoning the values and principles that set it apart from other businesses, and an organization that returns its profits to the community, then you share many of the same values and priorities as the millions of people around the world who are already members of co-operatives and credit unions.

Co-operatives and credit unions recognize the importance of people and communities defining their own needs and working together to meet those needs. They are a powerful and democratic way to put decision-making into the hands of those who need and use the services. Co-operatives and credit unions are directed locally and invested in locally. Surplus profits are returned to the members and, therefore, remain within the community.