Glossary

Agenda: A list of items and topics for discussion during a meeting.

Annual General Meeting (AGM): A yearly meeting to discuss important co-operative matters.

Articles of Association: Legal documents outlining the structure and rules governing a company.

Autonomy: The co-operative's ability to operate independently to achieve its aims.

Board Director: A board member responsible for overseeing the co-operative's management.

Board Handbook: A document outlining guidelines and responsibilities for board members.

Board of Directors: The governing body overseeing the co-operative's operations.

Bylaws: Rules that explain how we run the co-operative and govern operations and decision-making processes.

Circle Meetings: Meetings involving specific groups within the co-operative.

Circles: Alternative word for groups within the co-operative representing different membership categories and functions (e.g. general members, workers, users or purpose circles).

Code of Conduct: Established guidelines and expectations for members' behaviour within the co-operative.

Co-op: Short for co-operative, an organisation emphasising cooperation and shared ownership.

Co-operatives: People-centred enterprises owned, controlled and run by and for their members to realise their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations.

Co-operative Principles: Guiding principles emphasising democratic member control and one member, one vote.

Co-operative Society: A specific type of co-operative with shared ownership.

Co-ops UK: An organisation or resource related to co-operative businesses in the United Kingdom.

Companies House: Agency for registering companies.

Conflict of Interest: Situations where personal interests conflict with co-operative duties.

Decentralised: Where decision-making authority and resources are dispersed among members or entities rather than centralised in one location or authority (e.g. the board).

Democratic Control: The co-operative is governed by its members, who make the decisions.

Directors: Individuals overseeing and managing specific areas of work within the co-operative.

Eligibility Criteria: Requirements for co-operative membership.

Equity: Money invested in a business by members or investors.

Extraordinary Resolution: A vote requiring a 75% majority to pass, used for important decisions.

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA): Regulator for financial organisations, including co-operatives, to ensure compliance with financial regulations.

General Members Meetings: Regular meetings of co-operative members to discuss various aspects of co-operative business.

Interpreting: Live translating of spoken language to sign language or vice versa.

Investor Members: Members who have invested in the co-operative.

Member Economic Participation: Members contributing and benefiting economically.

Membership: Being a co-operative member with specific rights and responsibilities.

Members: Individuals or organisations with co-operative rights.

Multi-stakeholder Co-operative: A co-operative with different membership categories.

NRCPD: The National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD) is a national voluntary regulator of over 1,700 language service professionals.

Ordinary Resolution: A vote requiring a simple majority (51% or more) to pass.

Proposal: A formal suggestion or idea on how we operate presented for discussion and voting during a meeting.

Reserves: Funds set aside for specific purposes, such as financial stability or community initiatives.

RBSLI: The Regulatory Body for Sign Language Interpreters and Translators (RBSLI) is an independent, voluntary regulator.

Rules: The co-operative term for Articles of Association, the comprehensive legal document that guides and explains how we run the co-operative.

Secondary Rules: The rules for the day-to-day governance of how we run the co-operative.

Shares: Members or investors buy shares in a co-operative to become a member.

Society Law: Legal regulations ensuring co-operatives are managed and run properly.

Sociocracy: Where everyone can say what they think and be involved in discussions to make decisions together.

Transparency: Open and honest communication and decision-making.

User members: Deaf individuals in the co-operative.

Voting: The process by which members participate in decision-making.

Worker Members: Communication professionals providing services within the co-operative.