This word cloud illustrates the number of time a word was used in the Coop Conversation that took place in Spring 2012. The larger the word looks, the more times it appears in the notes of the three sessions. If you have any questions about the Board Report (which is also published here on the blog), you can contact the Member Relations Committee of the Olympia Food Coop at memberrelations@olympiafood.coop. We will also have a table at the annual meeting of the Olympia Food Co-op on Nov. 10 from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Olympia Center in downtown Olympia. We hope to see you there and answer questions.

Member Relations Committee

Co-op Conversation Report

June 21, 2012

Submitted to the Board of Directors of the Olympia Food Coop by Bob Davis, Project Facilitator, Keziah Apuzen, Chie Okazaki, Marilyn Clements, Lois Maffeo, Erin Genia and Yusuf Webster.

Organized, produced and compiled with the help of Heather Fink, Joanna LaTorre, TJ Johnson, and Colleen Hayes

Structure of the Report

The report is structured to review the major concepts, themes and ideas that resonated through the engagement process with co-op members and staff. The analysis and recommendations for moving these concepts forward into implementation are drawn from the data collected from the three stages of the Co-op Conversation and the Staff Engagement. The Member Relations Committee (MRC) has structured our conclusions for the OFC Board to use in developing a strategic plan. The report begins with the committee’s recommendations that are based on input from the membership and staff, followed by the summary of the data from the Co-op Conversation and the Staff Engagement. The final section contains the committee’s recommendations for implementation and a work plan. Note: the complete record of the data from the Co-op Conversation and Staff Engagement is attached as an appendix.

Recommendations and Analysis

In these recommendations, the MRC provides the groundwork for the Board to create a strategic plan that takes into account the major stakeholders in the co-op. The intent is to move the Board, Membership and Staff into an alignment that creates the environment to develop a strategic plan that propels the co-op into a leadership position as a co-operative economic model and values-driven business.

Expansion, Development and Immediate Concerns

The recommendations include suggestions for long-range expansion plans, creating the capital to achieve them, and improving services and facilities to build equity and community support.

Recommendations:

1. The membership expressed overwhelming support for expansion that encompasses building food security and improving the infrastructure of the current stores. Member priorities included the creation of a food hub to process local foods and more amenities (bakery, beer and wine, prepared food) in the stores. The membership also questioned the current two-store model. Many member participants suggested that the East Side Store be closed as a retail space and be used as a community food-processing facility or sold to support the development of a new store that better serves the Olympia area.

2. Decide on which expansion model has the support of the coop community and see if it “pencils out” financially. The strategic plan will address the co-op’s ability to sustain any project in terms of operating capital, personnel resources and community support. Give due diligence to data from local agencies and organizations that will help envision the OFC’s role in the market of the coming two decades.

3. Bring the current stores to a high level of customer satisfaction while working on expansion strategies. The co-op is currently in the desirable position of having little competition. This will not last, given the projected growth of the region. Competitors will enter the Olympia market, sooner rather than later. To meet this competitive challenge the Board needs to consider the core business of the co-op as a generator of capital to actualize the values of the co-op. The stores need to project our values and provide a first class shopping experience for the membership and the community at large. Maximizing the creation of capital without compromising the co-op’s principles is a priority for the success of any Expansion/Development strategy.

Note: The strategic plan must address the need for the Board, the Staff and the Membership to be in alignment with Expansion/Development plans.

Decision-Making

Member participants expressed confusion about how decisions are made within the co-op and many who were critical of the cumbersome and lengthy processes that were involved in product selection and facilities improvements. However, they also provided input on successful systems and methods to promote a clear and efficient decision-making process.

Recommendations:

1. Alignment on decision-making throughout the co-op will be a vital step in the strategic plan.

2. Develop a clear organizational chart for the co-op outlining the decision-making process for Board and staff.Explain the levels of decisions, how they move through the process, and who decides what and how. Describe the power relationships between the deciders in the co-op structure.

3. List the names and email addresses of the “go-to” person(s) at each step of the decision-making process so members can contact them with requests and input.

4. Build accountability loops and timelines to ensure transparency of the process.

5. Include a decision-making section in the by-laws outlining the decision-making process in all areas of the co-op.

Communications

Communications is tied to the decision-making process. The links between decision-making and communications need to be clear and supported by accountability structures.

Recommendations:

1. Communication duties need to be embedded in job descriptions on both the Board and staff level.

2. One person needs to be assigned as the gatekeeper of incoming communications to both the staff and Board from any source. Establish clear guidelines of how to filter these communications.

3. Draw up clear guidelines on who responds to an assignment from the communications gatekeeper and a timeline for a response.

4. Establish regular links with volunteers via email or list-serve.

5. Establish clear accountability loops for communications.

6. Produce regular forums for the membership to express their concerns. Continue the Co-op Conversation, with staff participation supported and/or included in job descriptions.

7. Produce regular online, newsletter and in store communication links to members.

Education

Co-op members are interested in accessing the staff’s knowledge and expertise on topics including food and its relationship to health, food security and social justice. While these recommendations are lower in overall importance, they were put forward by many participants to include in strategic planning. Participants did not make suggestions on how to fund these programs.

Recommendations:

1. Design an ongoing program of Co-op Education. This will require allocation of resources to create and manage.

2. Create accountability and communication pathways for the Board to monitor the program.

Values

Members want the organization’s mission statement and the co-op principles to be inherent in the strategic planning process.

Recommendations:

1. Refine mission statement and clarify goals based on member feedback.

2. Regular staff reports to the Board monitoring how the mission statement is being interpreted and implemented in the co-op.

Reconciliation/Boycott

Members who were queried about the boycott of Israeli goods in the OFC presented passionate testimonials on both sides of the issue. There were also participants who wished to see boycotts re-evaluated and suggested “pro-cotts” or informational guidance rather than product elimination.

Recommendations:

1. Establish a task force to create a structure for reconciliation with clearly defined goals with a timeline for completing the process.

2. Use an outside facilitator trained in conflict resolution.

3. Determine when this process ends and the coop moves forward. There must be a conclusion.

4. Develop a transparent, thorough and participatory process for decision-making about future boycotts.

Co-op and Non-profit Models

Throughout the process concerns were raised about the current non-profit model as a vehicle for meeting the challenges the co-op faces in the future. Concerns were expressed about voting rights of members that go beyond choosing a Board representative, how a staff collective represents the membership in decision-making, and how to align the needs and values of three different groups: Board, staff and membership.

Recommendations:

1. The Board studies the current non-profit model to establish whether it will offer the best framework for the future.

2. Explore other co-op models to see if they will help establish alignment among all stakeholder. Examples include a consumer cooperative ( needs of the consumers are prioritized), worker-owned (the staff collective purchases co-op shares from members and assumes all risks), and a hybrid model that is consumer, worker, and producer owned.

Data Summaries by Theme

Expansion, Development and Immediate Concerns

Prerequisites for expansion.

• Any expansion needs to reach out to communities of color.

• Maintain co-op values as we expand.

• Maintain and expand good wages and benefits for staff.

• Create living wage jobs.

• Strengthen co-op structure before expansion.

• Study other co-op expansions to learn the pitfalls.

• Study the business benchmarks needed to commit to any expansion.

• Consider the market realities in our region.

• Expansion should prioritize simplicity and social outreach.

• Resolve reconciliation before expanding.

Immediate Store Concerns

• Make current stores more welcoming and convenient to shop and work in.

• The service is poor.

• Staff knowledge is shared erratically and there are several staff who lack people skills.

• The stores are dirty and hard to shop in.

• Members want to know why the stores can’t be stocked after closing to make shopping easier, products accessible and staff available to help customers.

• People want a more welcoming space.

• What is the role of worker-volunteers?

Major Expansion Ideas Put Forward

These suggestions ranged (in order of input – high to low)

Increased Retail Presence

• Opening a full service store in downtown Olympia.
• Opening a smaller, limited selection/carry out store.
• Moving the East Side Store downtown and creating a community space or commercial kitchen at the existing structure
• Adding a food cart/truck with prepared food.

Focus on vertical development and integration

• Investing in farm to table models (owning farm land, giving financial aid to small farmers in the form of pre-harvest payment).
• Value added renovations/repurposing of current buildings for a commercial processing kitchen.
• Building a distribution system (food sheds/hubs, food mobiles to under-served areas).

Incubator Development Model

• The co-op becomes a financial and educational resource for building a local co-op economy.

• Create a “co-op mall” with food businesses that align with the co-op’s core values,

• Establish a business training center to teach proprietorship to community entrepreneurs

• Offer a community meeting space

• Establish a microloan bank for progressive enterprises

• Other ideas included an agricultural school, a low-cost community restaurant, a self-sustainability center, a wellness/health center and an outreach program to other co-ops for support and cooperation.

Decision-Making

The decision-making processes in the co-op provoked the most questions and requests for clarification in the Co-op Conversation. There are many levels of understanding about democracy and how it is practiced in the co-op. The following is a list of fundamental questions around decision-making that were consistently expressed. The answers will help determine if the current governance structure of the co-op best serves all stakeholders. Achieving alignment among the members, staff and Board will be an involved process, but the membership clearly recommended a consistent, understandable and proven method to base the strategic planning upon.

• What is the power structure in the co-op? Are decisions made by staff, Board or a combination? How can a member access this structure to initiate change?When does the membership vote on an issue?
• How are unheard voices and communities engaged in decision-making?
• Should the co-op have appointed Board seats for people of color and low-income people?
• How do the Board and Staff engage the membership before major decisions?What determines if a vote of the membership is advisory or final?
• When and how can a decision be revisited?
• How do consensus and representative democracy co-exist and interact at OFC? What are the accountability loops?
• What is the role of volunteers in the decision-making process?

Beyond asking the above questions, the membership also put forward suggestions for strategies and methods to reduce the logjams that occur in this process and build support among the membership for individual decisions.

• Consider replacing the non-profit model with an actual member-owned co-op model. Decision making would include voting rights for members.

• Implement a management system. Most participants support the collective management system that is favored by staff, however there were several suggestions that sought to blend this method with techniques that would streamline operational functions increase efficiency and timeliness. Suggestions ranged from researching management software to creating a tier of decision-making that would embed specific decision-making functions in job descriptions.

Communications

The impression expressed by groups in all three session was that communications throughout the coop have poor follow through, unclear accountability and give the impression that communication is not a priority. Lack of transparency was a common thread in groups working on the theme of communication.

• There is a clear need to establish formal communication links in the co-op with accountability structures. Names need to be assigned to each link and timelines attached.
• Members wish to have more accessibility to staff, want more timely answers, wish to have more online information available and be able to add input in decision-making.
• Members suggested a “welcome to the Olympia Food Co-op” video posted online that would give basic instructions on membership and how to shop at the co-op.
• There is a strong desire for regular community forums both face-to-face and online.
• Improve outreach to underserved communities.
• Allocate resources to building and managing communication links.
• Have a staff person to oversee communications systems, direct questions and suggestions to the appropriate staff and follow up to see if the concern has been addressed.
• Divide operational and big picture concerns into an efficient structure for response and action.
• Create filters for incoming info—have a gatekeeper who sorts material and moves it to the right person.
• Improve communication with volunteers. This is an area that deserves attention, as volunteers have distinct informational needs, including training, shifts and how to answer questions from the members. Would require a staff member attached and a feedback loop.
• Regular online and newsletter updates concerning co-op issues.Members want more real time information.
• Improvements to the member database are needed. Information is out-of-date and inaccurate. It does not provide accurate demographic information that could assist with expansion and strategic planning work.

Education

In all three stages people expressed a strong desire for an in-depth educational component focusing on co-ops issues and general information on farming, food, cooking and health.

• Orientation of new members: Co-op welcome packet, co-op tours, product selection guidelines, etc.
• Educate members on core values, co-op principles and the social justice priorities of the co-op.
• Decision-making: who decides what and how to access the decision-making process.
• Inclusivity and anti-oppression studies.
• Conflict resolution training.
• Outreach to the general public via a speaker’s bureau.

Values

The sense of most participants was that the values expressed in the Mission Statement are sound and express the will of the membership. There were divergent opinions on how to interpret the co-op’s values and what, in practice, is the scope of the mission statement. Some expressed the need to refine the statement to better reflect:

• Environmental justice
• Workers rights in the co-op
• A clear definition of social justice
• How consensus decision-making is done within the co-op
• Food security as a value
• Add a statement of members rights and responsibilities
• Have a statement of values that are reviewed in a timely matter by the Board, staff and membership.

Reconciliation/Boycott

By far, the discussions of reconciliation/boycott were the most controversial. People are passionate about the boycott of Israeli goods, want to know how the decision was made, and are concerned about the impact on the co-op community. What members want are better processes for future controversial decisions, clear and accessible descriptions of the scope of social justice in the co-op, how healing can happen and where to go from here.

• Many people didn’t understand how the decision was made.
• There was concern about the lack of engagement and communication with the membership during the debate.
• Why wasn’t this put to a member vote?
• Strong statements were made for and against the boycott.
• Several members suggested that the co-op should focus on food justice rather than political issues and wanted a clear statement on the scope of social justice in the co-op.
• Several people wanted more specific information on nation-state boycotts and questioned if they were consistent with the mission statement and values of the organization.
• Participants reminded their groups that social justice is a holistic concept and that the co-op must stand up for its values.
• Many people noted that there are the unintended consequences of the boycott in our community and wondered who is responsible for dealing with them?
• Focus on our points of unity and promote positive outcomes rather than prohibitive actions.
• There was a deep sense that the community needs a healing process before co-op can move forward with expansion and raising its profile in the community.
• The reconciliation groups noted that there is a difference between being heard and not agreeing with each other.
• There was discussion on the concept of winners and losers and how the community needs to accept that we can’t agree on everything.
• The Board must work to quickly implement a reconciliation process that can allow strategic planning to move forward.
• When the co-op divests in order to support a boycott, the Board must have alternative plans to invest in our goals and values.

Co-op and Non-profit Models

In its request to the MRC to work on a member engagement process, the Board was specific in requesting input on improvements to Board and staff communication. What grew from this request was a look at the overall alignment of interests, outcomes and models of governance for the entire organization. Throughout the Co-op Conversation, concerns were raised about the current non-profit model as a vehicle for meeting the challenges the co-op faces in the future. Staff members described the changing relationship between the staff and Board and members raised concerns about what their stakeholder status entailed. Members raised concerns that the staff prioritizes its needs over the needs of the members. Although a deep discussion of this issue was beyond the scope of the Co-op Conversation, the MRC notes that many participants were interested in the governance structure of the organization. The Board might wish to use this theme to explore other co-op and non-profit models, including consumer co-ops, worker-based collective ownership, multi-stakeholder ownership and governance or simply refining the current non-profit model to align the decision-making structure of the organization that currently ranges from democratic voting to consensus methodologies.

Developing a Strategic Planning Model

for the Co-op

The following are recommendations from the MRC and the project facilitator for implementing a strategic planning model for the co-op.

The concerns and suggestions from the Conversation, in total, are a call for substantial revisions of how the co-op functions on every level. Developing a co-op wide strategic planning model that is transparent to the co-op community, shows results and brings the Board, staff and membership into alignment is the first step in the prioritizing and implementing the recommendations from the Co-op Conversation. The process needs to produce positive outcomes in the short run while planning long-range priorities and implementation timelines.

Program of Work Strategic Planning Model

The Program of Work (POW) model is predicated on achieving alignment among the groupings within an organization. In the context of the co-op, alignment is necessary with the Board, staff and membership. We acknowledge that alignment isn’t agreement on the details of a plan, it’s a general sense within the co-op that the plan is the direction the co-op wishes to move toward. This requires leadership from the Board and staff to prioritize the recommendations from the Co-op Conversation, place them into short and long-range timelines for implementation and developing the Program of Work.

Once the strategic priorities and timelines are agreed upon, the process of developing the Program of Work begins. The Board, in conjunction with the staff, will write the Program of Work that details the actions needed to implement the strategic plan within the agreed timelines. The POW starts with the big picture elements and narrows down to individual charges for moving the strategic plan into reality. A division of labor is needed make the POW model into an effective tool for action.

The Board’s work on the POW will be concerned with the “big picture” elements of the strategic plan and monitoring the progress of the plan, making strategic changes if needed and communicating and engaging with members as the plan moves forward. The relationship between the Board and Staff is crucial for the success of this model. Clear accountably loops are needed.

On the operations level, the staff’s work on the Program of Work will direct the staff on a day-to-day basis how to implement the strategic plan. There will be an overall POW for staff that will be broken down into component parts for each department/committee in the staff structure. Finally, individuals will have a POW that states their role in actualizing the strategic plan. Once again, clear accountably loops are needed. POWs would become one of the primary components of evaluating the board, staff and individuals performance in their work at the co-op. However, nothing is chiseled in stone. POWs can change if needed, but they can’t be ignored.

The MRC and the project facilitator realizes that adopting the Program of Work model will require a cultural shift in the co-op. The POW model is based on accountably and participation. The focus would be on clear processes and measurable results. Democracy and worker self-management can only be successful when everyone is included and accepts reasonability for their ideas and actions. This truly a deep democratic process for focusing the co-ops values into action.

The Co-op Conversation will be taking place at the Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St., in downtown Olympia. Please note that there will be two sessions on March 24. You can choose the morning (9am-12pm) or afternoon (1pm-4pm) session. There will be snacks and childcare available at both sessions.

Thank you for your participation in this member engagement forum. For more information on the Co-op Conversation, visit our website at http://www.coopconversation.org

Thank you, Thad!

You must sign up to participate. We need to know how many people will be joining us and we also need to get every participant a booklet with background information that will help us in our discussions.

Thank you for joining the conversation!

At the end of several meetings which utilize Open Space Technology, constituent groups narrow down important questions for focus groups, which then further synthesize data for a large-scale community meeting. Working with a skilled facilitator, we will organize the data along with recommendations for the co-op Board of Directors to act upon.

Dates:

Stage 1 –  Saturday, January 28^th 2012 –Olympia Center, 9am-3pm

Stage 2 – Saturday, February 25^th 2012 –Olympia Center, 9am-3pm

Stage 3 – Saturday, March 24^th 2012 –Olympia Center, 9am-12 pm OR 1pm-4pm (Participants may choose morning or afternoon session.)

Why 3 stages?

The process is designed on inclusivity, anti-oppressions, collaborative and deep democracy models. The 3 stage process is attempt to include as many people as possible. The goal is to have all voices heard.  We are seeking to give first voice to those who contend with systemic oppression(s) in their lives. The three stage process is designed to create safer spaces for all to find their voice. The First Stage gives voice to those who are not heard in our culture.  Their voices will resonate throughout the process. The Second Stage participants take the data & outcomes of the first stage to refine & organize the themes for the All member/staff Open Space. The Third Stage is the co-op wide Open Space. Here the entire co-op membership will have a place to collaborate on the Olympia Food Co-op’s direction & values.

• Conclusion: The material from the co-op wide Open Space & the first two stages will be organized by the MCR & the facilitator.
• MCR/facilitator will write the final report to the membership, the board & the staff.
• The report will be presented to the Board.

This engagement is an attempt to hear & engage the entire Olympia Food Co-op community in a democratic decision-making process where all voices are heard.

This gives you, as a member, the chance to create and answer some deep questions about the future direction of the Co-op. For example:

How do you perceive the Co-op?

What are the challenges & realities the Co-op faces?

What resources does the Co-op have to meet these realities?

Does the Co-op have the will to transform its values into action?

This three-stage process will use a collaborative meeting technique called Open Space Technology. It begins with the first stage on Saturday, January 28, 2012. Our goal in the first stage is to reach out to individual members whose voices are least heard or under-represented in mainstream society, in light of our mission and goal to support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society. The second stage will take place on Saturday, February 25, 2012, to analyze the outcomes of the first group and create themes and questions for the third stage, the large meeting on Saturday, March 24, 2012. All meetings will take place at the Olympia Community Center, with food and childcare provided.

You must sign up to participate! You can either:

Take the survey at coopconversation.org

Fill out a contact form available at either west or eastside locations.

For questions and special accommodations for the events, please email coopconversation@olympiafood.coop

The Co-op Conversation process will begin with a meeting of co-op constituents on Saturday, January 28th, 2012.  In light of our mission and goal to support efforts to foster a socially and economically egalitarian society, our hope is to reach out to individuals in our membership whose voices are  least heard or under represented in mainstream society. Staff and Board members are also included in constituent groups. The MRC is currently seeking co-op members to participate in this constituent group meeting. Interested members can submit their name and contact information to coopconversation@olyfood.coop or take the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YPNRWFX

The Co-op Conversation will be facilitated by Bob Davis, a board member of People’s Co-op in Portland, Oregon. The meeting will be conducted using Open Space technology, a collaborative meeting process that emphasizes shared leadership, high efficiency and breakthrough learning.