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A real-world example of articles of incorporation and bylaws from Equal Exchange, one of the better-known U.S. worker cooperatives.
Real governance documents help founders and advisors see how an established worker co-op translated democratic ownership into legal structure.
Teams and advisors looking for an example to compare against their own governing documents.
Heirloom Library entries are summaries and wayfinding notes. The original source is the best place to read the full resource.
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Democracy at Work Institute
A DAWI guide explaining how governing documents can codify democratic ownership, governance structure, growth, and conflict-resolution pathways.
Sustainable Economies Law Center
A SELC article explaining key tradeoffs between forming a worker cooperative as an LLC or as a cooperative corporation.
Sustainable Economies Law Center
A 30-minute SELC teach-in and supporting materials introducing governance, management, board roles, and power distribution in worker cooperatives and worker self-directed nonprofits.
This is valuable as an example, not a plug-and-play template. It shows how one mature worker cooperative documented governance and incorporation choices at a specific point in time. Because it dates to 2004 and may not reflect current law or Equal Exchange’s current documents, it should be reviewed carefully before being used as a model.