Our values and principles...

We base our work on the agreed values of:

·         Self help
·         Self responsibility
·         Democracy
·         Equality
·         Equity
·         Solidarity
·         Honesty
·         Openness
·         Social responsibility
·         Caring for others

Our principles for putting these values into practice are:

·         Voluntary and Open Membership
·         Democratic Member Control
·         Member Economic Participation
·         Autonomy and Independence
·         Education, Training and Information
·         Co-operation Among Co-operatives
·         Concern for Community

What is a co-operative?

A co-operative is a group of people acting together to meet the common needs and aspirations of its members, sharing ownership and making decisions democratically.

Co-operatives are not about making big profits for shareholders, but creating value for customers ‑ this is what gives co-operatives a unique character, and influences our values and principles.  

A world of co-operatives

There are many co-operative businesses throughout the world, of which The Co-operative Group is the largest consumer co-operative.

There are many other types of co-operative such as housing, worker, credit unions, agricultural and even political co-operatives.

The Robert Owen Group is a proud member of Co-operatives UK, an organisation that unites, serves and represents all co-operatives in the UK.

For more information about the co-operative movement in the UK visit the Co-operatives UK website.

More information about the international co-operative movement can be found at the International Co-operative Alliance website.