Genossenschaft: Difference between revisions

From SuperCoopWiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 109: Line 109:
* Vorstand checks the operational and financial viability  
* Vorstand checks the operational and financial viability  
* Advice from the AGs is not binding BUT since the members vote the Vorstand they still have the possibility to not vote a Vorstand that never respects their work  
* Advice from the AGs is not binding BUT since the members vote the Vorstand they still have the possibility to not vote a Vorstand that never respects their work  
==== Investierende Mitglieder (= investing members) ====
* People or organizations that want to support the project but are not active members
* They can’t vote in the General Assembly
Background:
* Make it possible for organizations like companies, foundations, scientific institutes, partners, etc. to be part of the coop
* Only members who work & shop should have a say in the General Assembly. If you are not active for a long time, it’s still possible to stay an investing member to support the coop.
__FORCETOC__
__FORCETOC__

Revision as of 07:29, 1 April 2021

Satzung

Du kannst unsere Satzung finden:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13AiGaWK8iTmAXwcR3Os6QicrqKD8R4Kz/view Mehr info kannst du auf unsere Website finden www.supercoop.de

You can read our Satzung here https://drive.google.com/file/d/13AiGaWK8iTmAXwcR3Os6QicrqKD8R4Kz/view

You can find more info on our website: www.supercoop.de

Fragen/Questions

General Questions

Was ist eine Genossenschaft?

Definition einer Genossenschaft nach §1 des Genossenschaftsgesetzes (GenG):

Die Genossenschaft ist eine Gesellschaft von nicht geschlossener Mitgliederzahl mit dem Zweck, den Erwerb oder die Wirtschaft ihrer Mitglieder oder deren soziale oder kulturelle Belange mittels gemeinschaftlichen Geschäftsbetriebes zu fördern.

→ Means: The Genossenschaft has the purpose to serve its members either economically, socially or culturally through its collective operations.

What the Satzung (statutes) is about

  • Finding a legal framework that allows us to start operations and is safe for us and our members
  • To “translate” the model of PSFC & La Louve in the German Genossenschafts-Law
  • Reducing the Satzung to the basics while still including the necessary details since it’s not easy & rather expensive to change

The Satzung is NOT about:

  • reflecting every detail of the model
  • showing all our values and (ideological) goals

Rights & Duties of Members

Duties:

  • Everyone needs to buy a share (=100€) with exceptions for members who cannot afford it
  • Everyone who wants to shop at the supermarket is supposed to work 3h/months. This, however, is not written in the Genossenschaftssatzung but defined in a separate guideline (as in La Louve & Park Slope) → §8(1)

Rights:

  • No matter how many shares you have, everyone has one vote in the General Assembly
  • members, through different mechanism (for instance the Aufsichtsrat or the General assemblies) can control what the managing boarding is doing and make sure that they promote members
  • as a member, you have the right to have transparent access to business information/financial reporting

Shares / Anteile

  • The normal share will be 100€ per member
  • A share is paid once when entering the Genossenschaft (becoming a member)
  • There will be a lower share for members who depend on social welfare and cannot afford the 100€ share → We still try to find the best formulation together with our legal advisors and the Prüfverband since this is a bit tricky to include in the German Law
  • You are encouraged to buy more shares. This helps the Genossenschaft to have a more stable financial basis and can compensate for people paying a lower, reduced share
  • In case you leave the Genossenschaft, you get your shares refunded. Only if the Genossenschaft has losses, the General Assembly (= members) can decide whether to pay back only a reduced amount of the share.
  • You are only liable with the amount of money that you put in the Genossenschaft and not personally.

Organs

Die Generalversammlung (General Assembly)

  • Members = Boss!
  • There is one official General Assembly per year
  • But: There will be a Plenum (like a General Assembly but less official and less admin work) every month
  • Opportunity to raise your voice
  • Opportunity to make collective decisions
  • Board & Advisory Board will be elected at the General Assembly

Der Vorstand (Board of Directors)

  • Consists of min. 2 and max. 5 members
  • The Vorstand is responsible for the business operations of the Genossenschaft
  • The Vorstand should be employed at least on a part-time basis once the first shop opens since it’s a lot of work and does mean taking responsibility for the coop
  • The Vorstand is controlled by the Advisory board and advised by the Arbeitsgruppen (working groups)
  • The Vorstand acts in the interest of the members

Der Aufsichtsrat (Supervisory Board)

  • at least three members who can’t be members of the Vorstand or Prokurist at the same time
  • makes sure that the Vorstand acts according to the Satzung (control function)
  • in many cases it also advises the Vorstand
  • is elected by the Generalversammlung
  • Suggests who is in the Vorstand

Der Beirat (Advisory Board)

  • It is optional! We won´t choose any Beirat at the Gründungsversammlung but wanted to leave the option open for a later stage
  • consists of 3 - 12 members
  • usual term = 3 yrs but the General Assembly can change it
  • Meets at least twice a year together with the Vorstand

Background:

(Board) members of social, environmental & local organizations and representatives for socially disadvantaged groups can be in the Beirat to strengthen the inclusivity and impact strategy.

Arbeitsgruppen (Working groups)

§ 6 Rechte der Mitglieder

(6) An Arbeitsgruppen teilzunehmen und die Gründung von Arbeitsgruppen vorzuschlagen

  • members have the right to form Arbeitsgruppen but they don’t count as an official organ of the eG since we wanted to make it uncomplicated and easy to found them and to participate
  • They advise the Vorstand
  • Vorstand checks the operational and financial viability
  • Advice from the AGs is not binding BUT since the members vote the Vorstand they still have the possibility to not vote a Vorstand that never respects their work

Investierende Mitglieder (= investing members)

  • People or organizations that want to support the project but are not active members
  • They can’t vote in the General Assembly

Background:

  • Make it possible for organizations like companies, foundations, scientific institutes, partners, etc. to be part of the coop
  • Only members who work & shop should have a say in the General Assembly. If you are not active for a long time, it’s still possible to stay an investing member to support the coop.