Cooperative Principle #1—Voluntary Membership

In honor of Cooperative Month, we will highlight Cooperative Principles each week!

Today we are highlighting Cooperative Principle #1—Voluntary Membership

Credit unions are voluntary, cooperative organizations, offering services to people willing to accept the responsibilities and benefits of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

Many cooperatives, such as credit unions, operate as not-for-profit institutions with volunteer board of directors. In the case of credit unions, members are drawn from defined fields of membership.