A cooperative is a legal form in which members pursue economic or social goals together. Characteristic features are member participation, democratic decision structures ("one member, one vote"), a promotion principle instead of profit maximisation and a long-term orientation. Cooperatives are deeply anchored in Germany – housing cooperatives, Volksbanken and Raiffeisenbanken, agricultural cooperatives, energy, cultural and social cooperatives.
For employees, cooperatives often have a distinctive culture: stronger participation, participatory structures, high identification. Collective coverage is common, especially in major cooperative banks or housing cooperatives, where classic banking or real-estate agreements apply.
In the social economy, social cooperatives are emerging – for care, housing or education. They complement classic provider structures and enable local self-organisation, especially in rural areas.
Lunigi lists curated cooperative roles compatible with the AI-safe values of its candidates.