originally posted on WAO blog

On May 1st, 2023 We Are Open Cooperative turned seven years old. Like no seven year old ever, we used our birthday to reflect on who we are, what we want, where we’re going and all the other existential questions that a collective of ethical thinkers and makers might expect.

In our conversation, we realised that we often explain what we do in opposition to something else.

• Cooperative, worker-owned democracies in opposition to capitalist, shareholder-driven oligarchies.
• Sustainability in opposition to grind culture.
• Recognition in opposition to credentialing.
• Community engagement in opposition to consumer marketing.
• Climate consciousness in opposition to consumption and value signalling.

We don’t want to set ourselves in opposition all the time, but would rather define ourselves by our own terms. We have thus identified some areas of focus for We Are Open. These areas both explain our expertise and our vision for the world.

Sustainable work

One of the areas we believe it’s important to advocate for has to do with the future of work. Whether it’s helping organisations like the Wellbeing Economy Alliance integrate community well-being into their digital strategy or advising LocalGov Drupal on the governance and form of a new entity, WAO works to ensure that organisational growth is paired with healthy cultural initiatives and ecologically conscious advice. We know that a healthy culture surrounding an organisation or community is absolutely essential to having impact, and we work with ethical organisations that care about the kind of impact they have.

What do we mean by sustainable work?

• Our work practices promote environmental, social, and economic sustainability
• We pay attention to the resources we use and we promote fair labour practices.
• We aim to balance the needs of collaborators, organisations we work with, and the environment to create long-term viability and well-being.

Learn how to create a sustainable organisational strategy that takes culture into account.

Open Recognition

WAO is well-known for our work around Open Recognition, partially in thanks to a lovely and productive partnership with Participate. Did you know that we believe in recognising others even without badges? We build recognition into all our work because we know that recognising the talents, skills and behaviours of others helps people feel motivated, appreciated and supported. What a better world we’d live in if positive, constructive feedback were a normal part of society.

What do we mean by Open Recognition?

• We recognise the skills, knowledge, talents, behaviours and competencies of our collaborators and networks through transparent and accessible means.
• We challenge traditional forms of recognition to promote inclusivity and equity.
• We use digital technologies and verifiable credentials such as Open Badges, with the goal of empowering individuals and promoting lifelong learning.

Join the global conversation around Open Recognition.

Open Working

Working openly underpins so much of what we believe in. The clue’s in the name of our co-op! We believe in the five principles of open organisations — transparency, community, adaptability, inclusivity and collaboration. We have always worked to spread the benefits and culture of openness, and we offer everything from introductory to the most in-depth, contextual advice on this topic. Open working has given each of us the ability and opportunity to ‘jump over our own shadows’ and help others jump over theirs.

What do we mean by Open Working?

• We use collaborative approaches to working that involve sharing openly-licensed knowledge, resources, and results to create impact.
• We use and recommend Open Source software and transparency in development processes to promote collaboration and innovation.
• We prioritise communication, transparency, and collaboration between coworkers and between levels of management.

What we talk about when we talk about open.

Climate Action

We see ourselves as part of nature not the rulers of it and acknowledge that there is a climate emergency. We are conscious of the lost lessons and spirit of the indigenous and strive for climate justice, both individually and through the work that we do. We take steps to reduce our own and other human beings’ impact on the planet. We prioritise climate focused organisations and campaigns whenever possible because our service to our planet has been historically, well, a disservice.

What do we mean by climate action?

• We support organisations making efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change impacts.
• We work to ensure that climate action groups are working in ways that promote diversity and inclusion, and we are committed to working together for the greater good.
• We find creative ways to address the climate crisis using the skills and talents that are part of our DNA.

Listen to the Tao of WAO for more on how climate action underpins our work.

Worker Ownership

We promote democratic workplaces, values and behaviours to empower people and support a collective movement to change the status quo. In our seventh year, we remain enthusiastic and confident that worker-owned cooperatives and the co-op economy can have a positive impact on all of our lives. Working together towards a better future was always on our mind.

What do we mean by worker ownership?

• We’re a cooperative, and our members have ownership and agency in terms of the current running and future direction WAO.
• We promote democratic decision-making and empower people to have a greater say in the direction of their organisation.
• We adhere to the seven principles set forth by the International Cooperative Alliance which list everything from cooperation among co-ops to concern for community

We Are Open Cooperative

It’s all about the overlaps

We work in these five areas with thoughtful, ethical organisations and partnerships that help us clear a space in the forest of modern noise. The most interesting work for us happens in the overlaps. While we do projects focused in one area, we are always keen to bring our values and understandings of other areas to the foreground.

While we are happy to work on climate campaigns, we will likely recommend working on them openly with the communities those campaigns will impact. While we’re happy to advise leadership on sustainable work practices, we’re even happier to start recognising people in the organisation for their contributions!

Does this sound like a good fit for you and your work? If so, get in touch via hello[at]weareopen.coop

This post written in collaboration with Doug Belshaw!