Cooperation Through P6

By Pat Burns, General Manager

Cooperatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, Cooperative Members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others.
 
The Co-operative Principles are guidelines by which co-operatives, like City Market, put their values into practice. Cooperative Principal number six (or P6 as it’s referred to in the Co-op world) refers to “Co-operation among Co-ops.” The United Nations celebrated 2012 as the year the Co-op. The International Cooperative Association issued their “Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade” worldwide and in eight languages. In the past several years, there has been significant interest and excitement about the Cooperative model and how a larger Co-op representation in the business world will go a long way toward solving many of the problems that were created by individuals and businesses driven only by the bottom line.

So how is City Market putting P6 into action? City Market’s Board of Directors has been pursuing this initiative by hosting speakers from other types of co-ops in the area, learning more about how they operate, how we might foster more collaboration and how to encourage growth. They started this new Cooperative interaction with several intentions. In addition to learning more about different Cooperatives, the Board has been discussing what role City Market might take, on a local level, in this worldwide initiative, and within the framework of the Blueprint.

The most obvious way the Co-op takes part in encouraging Co-op growth is by supporting the expansion and development of other food Cooperatives in the area. We provided direct financial support to Brattleboro Food Co-op during their expansion, and we were an investor in the Monadnock Food Co-op’s startup. Currently, Clem (our previous General Manager) is working with the St. Johnsbury Co-op on issues around local suppliers, food cost, and general store operations. He also just met with the organizing committee in St. Albans as they take the initial steps in starting a co-op, and we have also been meeting with another start-up Co-op in Barre, Vermont.

In addition to what we offer as an individual Co-op for these startups, it’s exciting to note that they have a number of other resources available to them as they move along the path toward establishing their own Co-op. The Neighboring Food Co-op Association, the Food Co-op Initiative and the Cooperative Development Services all offer support to Co-ops in various stages of their startups. It is reassuring to know that there are so many resources available to help promote the growth of Co-ops in Vermont and in the United States. I do agree with the authors of the Blueprint in their assessment that more Co-ops will add tremendously to the economic stability here and around the world.

Special thanks to all of you who are Members of City Market. It is your participation in this democratic model that ensures our continued success and our ability to meet the needs of our Members and the community that we serve.

Thanks for your patronage,

Pat