The cooperative

After many years of waiting, I think we have found the solution to get organized. Since we started with Hola Ghana in 2010, we have been waiting for the possibility of creating a social company in Spain. The truth is that we were excited about SBICs (common benefit companies), but they still have a long way to go to obtain fiscal and tax benefits, there is still a lot of work to do to achieve this.

The truth is that the Bcorp movement, associated with a Limited Company or Public Limited Company, does not fit us completely, since our philosophy is closer to Social Business or social company as defined by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, a company that does not distribute dividends, that reinvests to generate greater impact with its activity over time. We use the mechanisms of the company, developing products and services to generate income that allows us to generate impact, we distance ourselves from CSR or reputation, we come from the world of cooperation.

Speaking with several people, we started thinking about reviewing cooperative societies. The truth is that I never thought of this legal form for our project. I had always associated it with large entities such as the Mondragon corporation, or with traditional sectors such as industry or agriculture. What a surprise these days when we began to investigate, to talk with consultants and advisors from the Chamber of Commerce of Cantabria, and to discover the great incentive they receive thanks to the support for the Social and Solidarity Economy.

Particularly in Cantabria, a work cooperative society can be established with only 2 people; this formula is perfect for us. I think it is very difficult to achieve better conditions to start, and especially for a small project that is not born with the desire to grow without stopping. So we are beginning to create the new society, from which we will operate PAS rural coliving, our new social business in Villegar.

Among other important aids, such as the exemption from the property transfer tax, you receive 10,000 euros for setting it up, in addition to being able to request 50% of the annual investment you make. This will allow you to continue investing in the coming years, to condition the garage, to create a new space in the stable or any new project that comes up. Without looking for calls or competing in programs, every year a part of the financing is practically guaranteed. The small print is that the year runs from June to July, so we will not be able to request anything until next summer, also that the maximum capital they give you on the investment is 25,000 euros.

It also has its handicaps, this type of company limits you when it comes to hiring, they are more designed to add partners than workers, but apparently they have been working for years to change this law. It is incredible when everything aligns, when the time comes for a project and everything goes in its favor.

This legal form has a strict policy for salaries, something we resonate with, for years I have been talking about moral salary and the importance of austerity, so in that sense it also fits us. Every year a contribution from the profits is made to the social capital and the training fund, a way of having a cushion for moments of uncertainty and change, also to bet on continuous learning, something we have been doing with The Social Circle since the beginning.

It is time to take a risk, we are going to make a big investment, we are going to look to work exclusively together as soon as possible, my wife and I, putting all our eggs in the same basket, with a great purpose that unites us and a wide network of collaborators and contacts, we are ready to take this new leap.

And you… Do you dare to take the leap?