A cooperative company represents an alliance between people who associate voluntarily, in order to meet and satisfy the needs (economic, cultural, educational, etc.) of each of its members; through a company that is collectively owned and democratically managed.
As in capitalist companies, the main function of a cooperative company is to produce. However, its primary objective is not to obtain a profit, but to protect the interests of its members. In this type of company, actions are based on the principle of open doors and democracy is exercised for the election of those who are going to direct it, complying with the foundation that says that each man has one vote.
A cooperative company can use credit like any other company, but in this case the figure of a capitalist partner does not exist, since the cooperative's own or social capital is created from the contributions made by the workers themselves.
Among the characteristics that define a cooperative company are: the power to join and withdraw from it whenever they wish. Its democratic system, where decision-making is done by majority. The equal, fair and proportional distribution of surpluses.
The size of the cooperative is very diverse, as are the sectors in which they carry out their activities (agricultural cooperative, artisans, savings, housing, transport, etc.) in such a way that it is very common to come across cooperatives in any field, where there is a group of individuals with common needs and aspirations.
The cooperative movement has its origins as a result of the industrial revolution, so that the members of a consumer company, for example, could access better price and quality conditions, avoiding the figure of intermediaries and allowing the increase of the profits of cooperative members.
The symbol that level identifies an international cooperative enterprise, are the twin dark green pines located on a yellow background, which are circled, also green; whose meaning reflects the common effort and perseverance; where the circle signifies the union and universality of cooperativism.
