Q.'A co-operative society has responsibilities not only to its members but also to the society around it.' Explain this statement with reference to the principle of Concern for Community.

The seventh ICA principle extends a co-operative's duty beyond its own members to the wider community.

The seventh principle, Concern for Community, states that while a co-operative focuses on the needs of its members, it also works for the sustainable development of the community in which it operates, through policies approved by its members. This is exactly what the statement means: a co-operative's responsibility does not stop at its own membership.

Why a co-operative has this wider responsibility. A co-operative is rooted in its locality and draws its members from the community around it. It uses local resources and serves local people, so it has a natural duty towards that community's well-being. Serving members and serving the community are not in conflict; a healthy community is the ground on which the society itself stands.

How the concern is shown. Guided by member-approved policies, a co-operative may:

• protect and care for the local environment;
• support local welfare and development activities;
• create employment and contribute to local livelihoods;
• generally work for the well-being of the society around it.

Crucially, all of this is done in the manner the members democratically decide — the concern for community flows through the society's own democratic control, not against it. …