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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
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
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
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
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
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
ValuesSelf-helpDemocracyEqualityEquitySolidarity
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
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
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
Steps Toward Making it Happen
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
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
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
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
w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. [email protected]
• 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?)