Cooperative Communication and Education

1
Cooperative Communication and Education

• Bob Cropp
• 323 Cooperatives
• Fall 2007

2
A cooperative without an education program will
last for a generation and a half.

• Need to educate new and younger members
• Need to educate potential leaders (directors)
• Need to educate management and other employees

3
Money spent on quality member communication
programs is a sound cooperative investment.

• Leadership, control, and financial ownership of a
  successful cooperative requires informed and
  educated membersreason it is one of the 7 ICA
  cooperative principles.
• Communication with members is mandated either in
  a co-ops by laws or state cooperative laws
• - Holding an annual meeting
• - Notifying members of special meetings
• - Significant changes in financial operation or
  structure

4
Because of co-ops unique ownership and
governance structure, co-ops have special
communication needs.

• Consequently, effective communication is needed
  for members, board of directors, management,
  employees and general public.
• Communication becomes more challenging as co-ops
  grow in size, geographic territory and products
  and services provided.

5
Members who understand the co-ops objectives,
policies, and actions, are more likely to

• Patronize the co-op
• Stay with the co-op through tough times
• Have fewer complaints
• Offer more constructive criticism and suggestions
• Take a greater interest in the co-op
• Inform members serve as effective salespeople for
  the co-op

6
Why educate the public?

• The co-op is part of the community and changes
  may impact the community.
• - Example, merger, closing locations effect
  local employees, traffic in the town
• Public education is also essential to maintain
  favorable public policy for cooperatives.

7
How to communicate

• Annual meetings good meal, door prizes,
  entertainment, effective financial reports,
  location?????
• - Some large co-ops have gone to annual district
  meetings
• - Closed-circuit TV has been used.
• Newsletter
• E-mail, internet, website
• Well informed and educated employees
• Young member programs
• Youth programs

8
You are a board member of Maple farm Supply Co-op
and you get a call from the local news reporter.

• It has just been reported that one of your
  employees was pulling a liquid fertilizer tank
  wagon with a pickup truck when it became
  unfastened and went down and embankment and over
  turned in a creek and is leaking. Very likely
  there will be a fish kill. What do you have to
  say for the co-op?
• How should the board member react?