w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. Sustainability Solutions Group Workers 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.

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.

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.

Values Self-help Democracy Equality Equity Solidarity w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. Co-operative Principles and Values Principles 1. Voluntary and Open Membership 2. Democratic Member Control 3. Member Economic Participation 4. Autonomy and Independence 5. Education, Training and Information 6. Co-operation Among Co-operatives 7. 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; and 5. Co-operatives have greater social efficiency. Co-op Characteristics w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e.

Steps Toward Making it Happen w. sustainabilitysolutions.ca e. 2002: - Research 2003: - Federal incorporation under the CCA - Draft by-law development - CWCF membership 2004: - 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. 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. 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?)