Green Futures Tuesday: How co-ops are leading a revolution in resilient business #gfstu

This event in the Green Futures Tuesday series was arranged on Febryary 14th 2012, at 6pm GMT, by the Department of Green Innovations and Solutions.

Tweeter Anna Simpson	Room #gfstu
Here goes! 15 tweets on how co-ops are leading a revolution in resilient business – use #gfstu to join in the debate. #gfstu 6:01 PM
1. Since the 2008 credit crunch, the co-operative sector has outperformed the UK economy – growing by 21%. #gfstu 6:02 PM
2. There are now over 5,000 registered co-ops in the UK and nearly 1.5 million worldwide. #gfstu 6:02 PM
3. Why are co-ops doing so well, while traditional businesses flounder? #gfstu 6:03 PM
4. Take your average corporate, which answers to its shareholders. #gfstu 6:03 PM
5. Top of its list is pleasing these ‘outsiders’, through good returns. It is ruled by share prices. #gfstu 6:04 PM
	@SinkDeep RT @SvTwuni: 3. Why are co-ops doing so well, while traditional businesses flounder? #gfstu 6:04 PM
	@SinkDeep RT @SvTwuni: 2. There are now over 5,000 registered co-ops in the UK and nearly 1.5 million worldwide. #gfstu 6:04 PM
6. So, even if the shareholders care about the future of the business, short-term gain often comes up trumps. #gfstu 6:04 PM
	@tsuei RT @SvTwuni Here goes! 15 tweets on how co-ops are leading a revolution in resilient business – use #gfstu to join in the debate. #gfstu 6:05 PM
7. By contrast, in a co-operative, the goal is maximum benefit for members – both now and in the long-term, too. #gfstu 6:05 PM
	@SinkDeep RT @SvTwuni: 7. By contrast, in a co-operative, the goal is maximum benefit for members – both now and in the long-term, too. #gfstu 6:05 PM
8. This means co-ops are likely to take up more opportunities to invest in their future. #gfstu 6:06 PM
9. Did you know? Co-ops touch the lives of more people as business owners than stock markets do – worldwide. #gfstu 6:06 PM
10. Co-operatives UK says there are 3x as many member owners of co-ops as individual shareholders worldwide. #gfstu 6:07 PM
	@tafarai RT @SvTwuni: 9. Did you know? Co-ops touch the lives of more people as business owners than stock markets do – worldwide. #gfstu 6:07 PM
	@tavihirst RT @SvTwuni: 9. Did you know? Co-ops touch the lives of more people as business owners than stock markets do – worldwide. #gfstu 6:07 PM
11. That’s people power! And lots of members = lots of contacts & poss stronger relationships with suppliers. #gfstu 6:08 PM
12. Strong relationships with the outside world also inspire trust, so consumers turn to co-ops in hard times. #gfstu 6:09 PM
13. What examples of successful co-ops are out there? Take #football: there’s FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid… #gfstu 6:10 PM
15. Ocean Spray finds it wins access to markets that individual farmers couldn’t on their own. #gfstu 6:11 PM
Read more about co-operatives and whether they offer a genuine alternative to broken business @GreenFutures http://t.co/Vez9OQvm #gfstu 6:12 PM
Thanks @tavihirst @tafarai @SinkDeep Are you a member of a co-op? What do you think makes co-ops different to other businesses? #gfstu 6:13 PM
	@SinkDeep @SvTwuni that is not only about the profit but about the community 6:15 PM
Thanks @tsuei Are you a member of a co-op? What do you think makes co-ops different to other businesses? #gfstu #gfstu 6:15 PM
	@tsuei @SvTwuni Co-ops can fulfil a majority of functions, a diverse range of goals, and take into acct wider range of worldviews 6:20 PM
	@tsuei @SvTwuni I’m not part of a co-op but I’d love to be; co-ops aim to benefit all members, but businesses benefit the ones at the top 6:17 PM
	@tavihirst @SvTwuni shared ownership and a sense of responsibility towards the future; of the business and the world. 6:19 PM