FAQ: The Community of Participation and Ownership (CPO)
What does the participation in regional firms serve?
How can I become a member of the CPO?
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What does the participation in regional firms serve?
Businesses and projects wishing to implement sustainable and long-term viable ways of doing things gain the financial, active and promotional participation of as many local citizens as possible.
The citizen participation allows companies to
- manage with less or no credit from the bank,
- plough the interest saved back into sustainability and long-term viability,
- better orient themselves towards the requirements of the citizens,
- to increase their base of local customers, and to
- gain more support from the local community.
Through their participation the citizens achieve
- the knowledge of exactly how their money is being invested,
- and that it is being used to maximise long-term viability,
- that their investment makes sense economically, ecologically and socially,
- that jobs in the local area are created or retained,
- the securing of provision for basic needs with regional products,
- knowledge of the facts upon which company decisions are based,
- and the possibility, if need be, to influence these decisions in the voting process of the General Meeting.
Where does the money to pay the members of the Executive and the Council of Representatives for their work come from?
The CPO participates financially (as full or partial owner) in local firms and projects which strive for sustainability and long-term viability. This of course includes that these ventures are economically sustainable, i.e. that they earn a financial profit. A part of these profits are used to pay the members of the Executive and the Council of Representatives (in Groks and/or pounds / dollars). Remaining profits can be reinvested and/or distributed to the members of the CPO. In the start-up phase, before profits are available, a system of activity points has been suggested.
How can I become a member of the CPO?
Owning at least one joint-ownership certificate of the CPO automatically makes you a member of the CPO (it is the only way to become a member). You can acquire certificates for pounds / dollars or Groks, subject to such being on offer. In both cases the CPO fixes no price – either way you'll have the fun of bartering! Note that
- the CPO and Market Community fix the value of the Grok in relationship to a certificate when the certificate is deposited for a credit range on a trade account (each certificate is valued at 1000 Groks and adds 800 Groks to the credit limit);
- but when bartering for a joint-ownership certificate, the parties are completely free to agree any price they wish – which thus will reflect their expectations regarding the real future value of joint-ownership certificates (and may reflect their mounting distrust of compound-interest based national currencies).
Further note that the CPO will only offer new certificates for sale when their value is covered by an increase in the value of the assets of the CPO – no watering the soup here!
You can also acquire joint-ownership certificates by agreement with the community institutions through contribution in work or kind.
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