Paul Hill travelled to Glasgow to find out how this co-operative wholesaler is doing things differently
Answers come from a selection of the membership
How does the co-op model shape how decisions are made day to day as a wholesaler?
At Greencity, being a worker co-operative means doing business differently. We don’t have bosses or hierarchies – instead, we work together as equals, with a flat pay structure and shared responsibility for how our co-op runs. People are at the centre of everything we do.
Our teams each take care of different parts of the business – from accounts, warehouse and buying to IT, marketing, HR, driving, cleaning and maintenance. Day to day, we make decisions much like any other workplace, but what makes us different is how we make them.
The environment we work in – the trust, respect and shared ownership – has been shaped collectively by all of us. Every decision, big or small, affects us equally, and we stand by one another in the choices we make.
When Covid hit in 2020, it tested these values in real time. Some of our members needed to be furloughed, and rather than making decisions based purely on business needs, we balanced these with what was best for each person – their health, well-being and personal circumstances. It was a moment that reminded us of what being a worker co-operative means: collective actions, taking shared responsibility and making sure everyone moves forward together.
Can you explain how membership works, and how do you balance collective decision-making with the need to act efficiently as a business?
Membership of the co-op is voluntary. Individuals may choose not to become members and will still retain the same employment rights. However, very few people opt out of membership, as the benefits are numerous – most notably, having a direct voice and influence in how we run our business.
All Greencity employees initially join as probationary members, serving a nine-month probationary period. This period includes regular reviews, opportunities to work across different departments and, upon successful completion, formal approval of membership by the co-op.
In addition to their individual primary roles, all members share collective responsibilities, including:
• Respecting and abiding by collectively agreed decisions made at full members meetings.
• Developing, promoting and adhering to best practice, as well as agreed systems and procedures within their team.
• Engaging with key co-op matters, attending all Greencity meetings (unless absence is unavoidable) and actively contributing to collective decision-making at both departmental and co-operative levels.
• Being open to multi-tasking and training as required to support the smooth running of the business.
• Upholding and promoting general co-operative principles and values.
We hold several members meetings each year to discuss the business plan, share departmental updates, and raise proposals for consideration and voting. Proposals are our mechanism for making significant decisions or implementing changes that affect all members. Each proposal is discussed collectively before a vote is taken, and a majority is required for approval. Any member may submit a proposal for discussion.
While major decisions are made collectively, many operational decisions are taken at a departmental level to ensure the business continues to run efficiently.
Are there any memorable examples of decisions where the co-op structure made a difference compared to a traditional structure of a wholesaler?
During the Covid pandemic, we rapidly introduced home working to reduce the number of people in the office. Since then, we have retained a hybrid working model. Recognising that some departments have roles that must be performed on site, we carefully considered the implications of continuing homeworking. Many members found the flexibility of homeworking beneficial; however, we also needed to balance this with the fact that not all members could access this option. To ensure fairness and inclusivity, we conducted a survey presenting several hybrid-working models. All members were invited to vote, and the results led to the adoption of an agreed homeworking model supported by all departments.
