Means a governance document adopted by all members or prospective members of a co-operative, which sets out the objective policies and management of that particular co-operative.

The constitution of a Co-operative is the document which contains all the rules for how a Co-operative should be structured and managed. The constitution should include:

• Official document - Procedures and Regulations in the Constitution
• Meetings
• Membership
• General Matters
• The Annual General Meeting (AGM)
• The Board of Directors
• Decision making
• Management
• Finances
• Any other rules that agree with the Co-operative principles

Every member has to read the constitution of the Co-operative carefully and understand all the regulations in it.  Alternatively, the Board of Directors must explain all the rules of the constitution to the members and ensure that they understand them.

CIPC can provide you with a model constitution especially designed for co-operatives.  You may use this model for your own co-operative or amend it to suit the requirements of your own co-operative.

Model Constitutions

When registering a co-operative, two copies of the model constitution need to be handed in together with the application form CO-OP1

• Model Constitution for Primary Agricultural Co-operatives
• Model Constitution for Primary Non Specific Co-operatives
• Model Constitution for Primary Housing Co-operatives
• Model Constitution for Primary Worker Co-operatives
• Model Constitution for Secondary Co-operatives
• Model Constitution for Housing Primary Co-operative
• Model Constitution for Tertiary Co-operatives
• Model Constitution for Financial Co-operative
• Model Constitution for Social Co-operative

The model constitution must be signed by all members and accompany the registration forms.