During the 19th century, millions of people joined forces to raise their living standards: they formed voluntary associations, co-operatives, and started saving, investing, buying and selling together. From these beginnings, the Co-operative movement continues to this day and has turned into a thriving international phenomenon.

The Rochdale Pioneers set up their co-operative in Lancashire in 1844, when there was extreme poverty and misery amid the relentless rise of the Industrial Revolution. They could never have imagined how their movement, developed to meet their own needs as well as the shoppers in their hometown, would be adopted across the entire world.

Today’s co-operatives have millions of members. Whether it's providing housing in the UK, wine in France, fruit in Cyprus, handicrafts in Thailand, farming in New Zealand or childcare in Sweden, co-ops play a major part of making societies and economies work. They empower people, and in the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

But what is a co-operative? Most people know the UK Co-operative movement known simply as 'the Co-op' and for many that means their local shop. However, the movement includes much more than that…

Click here to begin exploring...