Choosing A Structure For Your Business: The Co-Operative Explained.

Sometimes you might want to set up a structure where you will share in the spoils with everyone that deals with that structure.  There is a specific type of structure for this and it is known as a Co-Operative.

A co-operative business structure (or co-op) is a legally incorporated business entity that is designed to serve the interests of its members. Co-operatives may be profit-sharing enterprises or not-for-profit organisations.

A cooperative business serves members by providing goods and services that may be unavailable or too costly to access as individuals. There are two types of cooperatives that businesses can be set up as.

Distributing cooperatives are able to distribute any annual profits to members of the cooperative. They are required to share the capital that they make, and members of this type of cooperative must own the minimum number of shares specified in the co-op’s rules.

Non-distributing cooperatives cannot share their profits with members of the cooperative. All profits must further the cooperative’s purpose, and the cooperative may or may not issue shares to the members. Members may be charged a subscription fee if there is no share capital

Some popular cooperatives business structures include:

• Consumer co-operatives, which buy and sell goods to members at competitive prices in a variety of sectors.
• Producer co-operatives, which may process, brand, market and distribute members’ goods and services, or supply goods and services needed by their members, or operate businesses that provide employment to members.
• Service co-operatives, which provide a variety of essential services to their members and communities.
• Financial co-operatives, including co-operative banks, credit unions, building societies and friendly societies, which then provide investment, loan and insurance services to their members.