Membership Classes
1. Businesses with waste.
2. Workers who haul or transform waste.
3. Investors (up to 49% ownership).
Benefits of Membership
1. Businesses: Reduction in waste and disposal fees, opportunity to earn residuals when their waste is integrated into our Life Story metadata platform.
2. Workers: Fair hourly wages, opportunity for proportional residual income through long-term tracking of our installations.
3. Investors: Scalable growth, high profits as our materials are negative cost.
Membership Requirements
1. Non-financial: Demonstrates adherence to cooperative and circular economy principles.
2. Financial: $1,000 for businesses, $100 for workers. Workers can pay their fee over time as a pay deduction.
Governance Rights of Membership
1. Each member gets one vote in board elections and in any other votes taken by members.
2. The co-op may meet virtually for member meetings.
3. Members are required to approve bylaw changes.
4. Members can force a special meeting.
5. Members have direct oversight of cooperative leadership.
Financial Rights
1. For every $100 generated in year-end profit, it will be allocated amongst members based on Life Story metadata, rewarding long-term health of installations.
2. Founding members will receive an extra benefit to compensate for their initial risks.
Board of Directors
1. The co-op will start with 5 directors, with representatives from all stakeholders, and 3 worker-owners.
2. The board allows room for 1-2 outside directors who are non-voting.
3. The CEO attends and votes as a worker-owner.
4. Board members are nominated and elected by members, decisions are made based on simple majority, supermajority, etc., depending on the significance of the topic.
Capital Structure/Investment
1. ReLeaf will seek capital through investors and grants, as well as revenue from waste hauling and subsequent horticultural supplies, installations, and maintenance contracts.