Reciproka
= " facilitates the development of a co-owned network of open co-operatives through ownership transfer, network building and co-operative accumulation".
URL = http://www.reciproka.cc/
Project under construction by Janosch Sbeih & Jérôme Birolini.
Description
"While several organizations already provide services for workers and communities to gain ownership over productive assets, we believe that a more systematic approach is required to create an ethical and federated counter-economy able to perpetuate itself on its own.
A network of mutually-owned co-operatives federated around a common accumulation mechanism might just do the trick to instigate a self-propelling co-operative system.
* Reclaiming the commons
Traditional co-operatives tend to adopt the logic of their market environment by focusing on individual organisational gain rather than the build-up of an integrated, ethical economy. Reciproka functions as a structure to align interests by mutualising ownership of each co-operative under a common trusteeship legal structure.
* Reclaiming finance
To turn this federated coalition into a self-propelling co-operative system, it needs a mechanism to accumulate value for further expansion. Therefore, a share of each co-operative’s profits is pooled to feed a common internal investment fund designed to grow this ethical entrepreneurial coalition through further conversions."
Characteristics
"HERE IS HOW IT WORKS
Reciproka is a system that facilitates the development of a self-propelling, open co-operative movement through ownership transfer support services, network building and co-operative accumulation.
Ownership transfer
Reciproka acquires enterprises from retiring owners on behalf of their employees to transition them into “open co-operatives”. While ownership of each co-operative is mutually held between all of Reciproka’s members, governance of the individual enterprises remains with their workers.
Network building
Technical and process support is provided to the newly-formed open co-operatives via an internal team of mentors to help them adopt sustainable business models and integrate into a co-operative value chain network.
Co-operative accumulation
Reciproka pays its operational and financial expenses, finances new acquisitions of additional co-operatives and pays out an increasing income to its investing members by mutualising a share of each co-operative’s profits for a commonly held fund.
Financial and technical support facilitate individual enterprise conversions. Network building services and common ownership unite the co-operative ventures into a federated whole. The co-operative accumulation mechanism is the missing piece which makes the co-operative system integrated, competitive and financially attractive for outsiders to join."
Status
"We are currently in the early stages of designing Reciproka and building up alliances for collaboration once we start operating.
If you are an experienced facilitator of co-operative ownership transfer, organisational transition, interested in funding Reciproka and/or want to discuss further possibilities to collaborate, please contact us at: