The 4 Inimitable Features, unique to cooperatives:
- Participation in ownership: Members are both the users and owners of their Caisse.
- Participation in power: The members, in a general meeting, set the major orientations of the Caisse and elect the officers.
- Sharing in results: The members decide on the use of annual surplus earnings and, if applicable, individual or group dividends.
- Inalienable collective wealth: The general reserve accumulated by the Caisse from its surplus earnings is an inalienable collective wealth, which each year produces income that benefits all the members.
The 3 Distinctive Philosophies
- Commitment to the local environment: The Caisse supports the development of its local environment in many ways (gifts, sponsorships, lending resources or equipment).
- Education: The Caisse provides its members with information to help them make educated financial decisions.
- Mutual aid among cooperatives: The Caisse collaborates with other Caisses and promote collective entrepreneurship.
The 2 Essential Manifestations of Values
- Commercial practices: The core of a Caisse’s duties is concern for the interests and the needs of members and services that are accessible to all.
- Management practices: The Caisse exercises prudent and disciplined management, and integrates the values and objectives of promoting people and practices which are inherent to cooperation.