The Southeast Center for Cooperative Development supports workers’ shared ownership and control through the development of cooperatives enterprises in Nashville and throughout the Southeast.
Worker co-ops are businesses democratically-owned and -controlled by the people who work there. The members benefit equitably.
Cooperatives are values-based businesses with a multiple bottom line: people, planet, profit, community.
Income and wealth inequality are not only detrimental for low-income individuals, but also for communities and the economy at large. By contrast, economic growth and social stability are the outcomes of expanding economic equality.
Worker co-ops expand equitable economic opportunity, security, and inclusion for low-income people, people of color, women, and others living in communities that have been excluded socially and economically. We offer a creative solution to the persistent and growing problem of wealth inequality and the racial wealth gap through cooperative enterprises development, their support services, and resources.
We use interactive workshops, classes, and presentations to introduce the cooperative model. Two conferences were hosted in 2015 and 2019.
Currently we are working with 22 different groups (construction, trucking, IT, food service, and more) investigating employee ownership.
We are supporting 4 traditional businesses in their journey to converting to employee ownership.
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Cooperative enterprises are alternative business models that bring shared ownership and decision-making into the workplace. The employee-owners of the co-op decide what is produced or what services are rendered, how this is done, and what is done with the profit they create.
Since community members start co-ops, these businesses help create jobs and build wealth in the very communities where they have a vested interest. This keeps investments and profits local.
If your group is interested in learning more about co-ops, sign up below and we can schedule a workshop or presentation.
Would you like to share your entrepreneurial or business, legal, organizing, financial skills with new cooperators? Contact us below.
Our non-profit is dependent on donations from the community. We appreciate your support. SEC4CD is a registered 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.
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