Responsible and sustainable enterprises Consumer co-operatives
have adopted modern techniques in order to create undertakings
which are the most suitable to render a high quality service. A
co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united
voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural
needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and
democratically-controlled enterprise. Co-operatives are based on
the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy,
equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their
founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of
honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
Stemming from their values, consumer cooperatives have a strong
focus on Social Responsibility. Hence, while emphasis is placed
on satisfying the needs and expectations of the members,
consumer co-operatives favour a sustainable approach towards the
activities of production and distribution taking into account
the sustainable development of local co