W. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected] Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Co-operative

w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]

Sustainability Solutions Group Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Co-operativeWorkers Co-operative

SSG is a Canadian workers’ co-operative consulting company, seeking to assist clients in their development of dynamic and innovative tools and strategies for ecologically, economically and socially responsible decision-making and action.

SSG Mission Statement

1) Sustainability management service (Sustainability reporting/

assessing, multistakeholder group facilitation, independent review of

current practice, etc.)

2) Organizational transformation (Strategic planning, consensus

decision-making, transition planning and implementation, etc.)

3) Community economic development;

4) Green building consultation;

5) Financial services (participatory budgeting/planning, full cost

accounting, triple bottom line, life cycle analysis, etc.)

6) Research

SSG Services


1) Municipalities (Local authorities)

2) Medical institutions (Hospitals, Clinics, and Family Practices)

3)Universities/Colleges

4) SMEs (Small and medium size enterprises)

4) Credit Unions

5) Cooperatives

6) Non-profits

SSG Client Markets


We aspire toward…..

1) 4 day work week

2) 5 weeks of holiday

3) Flat pay scheme, with incentives for long-serving worker members

4) Balanced job complexes

5) Community support fund

6) Sliding scale fees

SSG culture


ValuesSelf-helpDemocracyEqualityEquitySolidarity


Co-operative Principles and ValuesPrinciples1. Voluntary and Open Membership2. Democratic Member Control3. Member Economic Participation4. Autonomy and Independence5. Education, Training and Information6. Co-operation Among Co-operatives7. Concern for Community

1. Co-operatives are effective in responding to market failures and state crises;2. Co-operatives provide a trust dimension in the provision of goods and services, and operate along ethical lines;3. Co-operatives are participatory and empowering and possess flexibility and resilience;4. Co-operatives build upon self-help and solidarity within the community and enhance social capital; and5. Co-operatives have greater social efficiency.

Co-op Characteristics


Steps Toward Making it Happen


2002: - Research2003: - Federal incorporation under the CCA - Draft by-law development - CWCF membership2004: - 1st grant application to CDI, was not reviewed - Applied to CWCF for a development grant

- Worked with a Coop Developer - Developed a business plan

2005: - 2nd application to CDI, success! - Two worker-members began fulltime - Application to Carrot Cache for small grant

Challenges


During Development:• Working together over long distances• All founding members had other meaningful fulltime work• Did not have many other nationally incorporated service-based models to draw from

Today:• Taking on new staff (contracts or worker-members?)• Creating a market• Finding clients for the more innovative services• Communications (two members are fulltime, two are not yet working with SSG• Figuring out worker-member shares

Some Questions for Discussion


• How to market services/products to differentiate ourselves as co-ops?

• How are new worker-members accepted?

• Member shares – how does it work with other coops? (in order to become a member you have to buy a shares of the coop – how do other people do it? Paying for shares? Sweat equity? How do you ‘buy the share out’ if the worker member leaves?)

• By-law examples? (Maybe CWCF could keep a database for reference?)

Documents

W. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected] Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Co-operative