From the Latin "
cum" "with" and "
operare" "do something, act", a cooperative is a company which the partners contribute equally in rights and duties. The cooperative system is based on the principle of mutuality and solidarity. Power is exercised democratically and cooperative members are working in the
interest of all shareholders.
Specifically, a cooperative is a business with variable staff and capital. It works like any capitalist enterprise, but the cooperative movement is based on noble and strong values : solidarity, sharing and respect.
Each cooperative attempts to apply this philosophy and to transmit it to its employees. The base of each cooperative is the human, and this principle is the main strength of the agricultural cooperation.
In addition, the cooperative world works as a sort of family group, tribe ... So, the local cooperative is an extension of the family farm, and regional unions, national, European and global are a form of universality.