Central England Cooperative is an innovative consumer co-operative business based in the United Kingdom. Consumer cooperatives are businesses that operate independently of the state, constitute a form of mutual aid and aim to provide services to consumers rather than profit. Founded in 2013, Central England Cooperative has grown exponentially since then and ended 2017 with almost two million members and almost ten thousand employees. Central England Cooperative has a wide range of businesses in its portfolio. Best known for its food stores, the Central England Cooperative ranges from funeral directories to travel branches and florists. CEC is the second largest cooperative of independent retailers in the UK after The Co-Operative Group, founded in 1844. It recently reported a six per cent increase in sales in its latest financial report. Voluntary and open membership cooperatives are open to all persons willing and able to manage the terms and conditions of membership. In analyzing this principle, it should be noted that membership requirements can be used in one way or another to prevent certain people from becoming members. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay However, the Central England Cooperative is a cooperative that requires people to pay a fee of £1 to become a member. As stated on its website, the cooperative is quite transparent in its membership conditions. It has an open membership policy whereby potential members are offered different ways to become part of the organization. The first method is to join a card purchased from selected stores in the UK where an individual can directly start earning points. The card can then be used for the member to become a full member by registering their card with the organization's headquarters. The second way is to use their membership helpline, and finally, they have a web page for member registration. With these easy and accessible membership channels, it is clear that the organization in general places a strong emphasis on voluntary and open membership. Democratic Member Control The very heart of democratic operations in any cooperative is the presence of board elections. Candidates for different board positions offer varying ideologies, meaning polls are supposed to show what the majority thinks is right. As a cooperative, the CEC holds elections every three years and offers all members who have held at least £1 in the six months preceding the election the opportunity to vote for officers of their choice. Meetings are held twice a year in different locations to provide members with ample opportunities to attend. During these meetings, members have platforms to express their political demands to the board of directors, which is the executive body that analyzes them. Economic participation of members The economic contribution of members is quite crucial for the functioning of a cooperative because the more they are involved in the financial affairs of the organization, the more it develops. The CEC uses the dividend policy to ensure that members with the highest number of points in terms of points get a larger share. The section relating to relations with members of the dividend payment takes into account the involvement of members in the different product offers proposed.