Co-operatives are businesses owned and controlled by the people who use them, work in them, or share a common purpose. From farms and childcare services to worker-owned businesses, community enterprises and retail stores, co-operatives help people come together to solve problems and create shared value.

A co-operative is a business structure anyone can choose when forming a business or organisation in Australia.  A co-op is owned and controlled by its members, who can be customers, staff, suppliers, producers, local residents, or a combination of multiple member types (multi-stakeholder).

A co-operative can be for-profit (distributing) or not-for-profit (non-distributing).

Co-operatives are guided by Seven International Co-operative Principles, which govern their equitable conduct. In many ways, co-operatives are the original social enterprise.

The states and territories register co-operatives in Australia under nationally consistent legislation (Co-operative National Law).

Learn more about co-ops in our free resource, ‘Co-operatives in Australia: A Manual’.

By their very nature, co-ops embed members’ needs at their heart: Localising the economy and enriching the community. If you are seeking a business or organisation structure that is collaborative, democratic and principles-driven, then a co-operative may be the structure for you!

Thinking about starting a co-operative?

Whether you have a business idea, a community project, a group of workers wanting to own your workplace, or an existing organisation looking at a new structure, we can help you understand whether a co-operative is right for you.

Talk to us about starting a co-op