Our Cooperative Culture
Lesson content
Introduction
In this module, we'll talk about what makes Saint-Albert so special: our cooperative model. Being cooperative is not just a business structure - it's a philosophy that has guided all our decisions since 1894.
What is a Cooperative?
A cooperative is a business owned and managed by its members, who are both owners and users. At Saint-Albert, our members are local dairy producers.
Each member has an equal voice in important decisions, regardless of the size of their farm. Profits are reinvested in the cooperative or distributed to members according to their participation.
Our Cooperative Values
Several values guide us daily:
Mutual Help: We work together to succeed together. When the fire destroyed our factory in 2013, it was thanks to this mutual help that we were able to rebuild.
Responsibility: Each member is responsible for the quality of the milk they provide, and together, we are responsible for the quality of the cheeses we produce.
Democracy: Major decisions are made in assembly, where everyone can express themselves.
Fairness: Benefits are shared fairly among members.
Solidarity: We engage in our community through donations and volunteering.
Our Community Commitment
We're proud to contribute to local life:
Support for community events in Prescott-Russell; Sponsorships of local organizations and activities; Promotion of Franco-Ontarian culture; and Education on dairy and cheese production
Sustainable Development
As a cooperative, we think long-term:
We buy milk locally to reduce transportation emissions. Our new factory uses technologies that save water and energy, and we work with the local government to minimize our environmental impact. We also maintain our own generators to reduce our dependence on the electrical grid.
Conclusion
Being a cooperative is more than a way of doing business - it's a tradition that values people and their know-how. When you buy Saint-Albert cheese, you support not only local farmers, but also an entire economic model based on cooperation rather than competition.
In the next module, we'll learn about our manufacturing process.
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