Voluntary and Open Membership

2. Voluntary and Open Membership

The first principle states that co-operatives are voluntary organisations, open to all persons who are able to use their services and are willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without any discrimination on grounds of gender, social status, race, religion, caste or political affiliation.

This principle has two clear parts:

1. Voluntary — no one is forced. A person joins a co-operative of his or her own free will, because the society is useful to them, and is equally free to leave it (subject to the society's rules and any notice required). Membership is never compulsory and no one can be pushed into a co-operative against their wish. This voluntary character reflects the value of self-help — people come together on their own initiative to solve a common problem.
2. Open — the door is open to all. Membership is open to every eligible person who can use the society's services and is willing to shoulder the duties of a member, without unfair discrimination. A consumer co-operative store, for example, welcomes any consumer in its area; a credit society welcomes any eligible person needing credit facilities. The only reasonable limits are practical ones written into the society's bye-laws — for instance, a housing co-operative naturally serves people in a particular locality, and a society may cap membership to what it can genuinely serve. How it works in practice:

• Any eligible person may apply for membership; the managing committee admits members as per the bye-laws.
• Members may withdraw voluntarily after giving due notice and following the withdrawal procedure. …