- Equal Exchange was born in a tiny office on Albany Street in Boston, Mass., in 1986. We now have offices in West Bridgewater, Mass., St. Paul, Minn., and Portland, Ore.; a cafe in Boston, and an espresso bar in Seattle, Wa.
- We officially became a co-op in 1994, with 20 worker-owners. We now have over 100 worker-owners.
- A worker-owner has completed at least one year of employment, has been voted in by the co-op membership, completed the Equal Exchange curriculum, and paid their membership share.
- We have a 4:1 pay ratio, which means the highest earner can't earn more than 4x the lowest earner. As a comparison, according to the AFL-CIO the average ratio of CEO pay to that of the typical worker is 343-to-1.
- We have an education committee that oversees various educational programs, including a mentor program, a weekly educational hour called "Exchange Time," and a curriculum that each new employee is encouraged to complete.
- We try to support co-ops whenever possible. We helped start the Principle Six: Cooperative Trade Movement with food co-ops around the country.
- Worker-owners elect the Board of Directors and fill six of the nine Board seats. The Board in turn is responsible for hiring and supervising management. This makes a circle of accountability, with everyone being accountable to someone else.
- Each worker-owner is awarded one vote and one share in the company, no matter his or her position.
- We we're named one of World Blu's Most Democratic Workplaces four years in a row.
- 2012 was named by the U.N. to be the "International Year of Cooperatives".
GO CO-OP!