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graphics.coop

Good Design for Good Causes

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What is a co-operative?

graphics.coop is a worker co-operative. What does that mean?


Co-operatives are trading enterprises providing goods and services and generating income. But they’re jointly owned and democratically controlled by their members.

Co-operative members also have control over profits, deciding how they should be used.

As well as that, co-operatives:

  • invest in education and training for members, enabling them to contribute more effectively to the co-op’s development; and
  • work for and are an integral part of their communities.

Worker co-operatives

The Co-operative Movement is very diverse, with a wide variety of legal structures. graphics.coop is a worker co-operative, meaning our employees have an equal say in how it’s run. We’re all paid equally, although this isn’t mandatory for worker co-ops.

To find out more about worker co-ops take a look at the Worker Co-operative Code of Governance.

Co-operative values – it's all about respect

Co-operative values are based on self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality and solidarity. And co-op members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others. Basically, it’s all about respect — for ourselves and others — and we’ve got it in bundles.

As our clients, we want to work with you — not for you. We want a trusting and long-term relationship built on those values that we hold so closely to our hearts.

And if you’re another organisation that shares our outlook, then we’d love to get to know you. The world is big enough for us all to flourish, and things tend to flourish better when people work together. See our associates page for an idea of what we mean.

What happens to our profits?

Many co-operatives distribute some profits to members as a dividend, but take with a different approach. Our staff receive fair wages but our company’s profits must be reinvested in the business or donated to a co-operative or charitable cause.

We’re a company limited by guarantee, so our members don’t hold shares of monetary value. And if we were to dissolve, our assets would be donated to a co-operative or charitable cause.

The stats:

Co-operatives worldwide:

  • Have 800 million members
  • Employ 250 million people (more than all the world’s multinationals put together!)

In Scotland:

  • More than 500 co-operatives
  • 30,000 employees
  • Combined total turnover of over £4 billion

Want to know more? Visit Co-operative Development Scotland, Co-operatives UK or International Co-operative Alliance.


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Get in touch

E: info@graphics.coop
T: 0131 464 0067

Graphics Co-op Ltd
Regus Express
Fleming House
30 Kinnaird Park
Edinburgh
EH15 3RD
graphics.coop
Fleming House, Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, Edinburgh EH15 3RD

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  • About us
  • People
  • Ethics and environment
  • What is a co-operative?

Client feedback

Apex Scotland

graphics.coop more than met our expectations of service delivery and we would certainly recommend them as a company.

Lynn Hannah

graphics.coop
2015-10-20T18:47:46+01:00

Lynn Hannah

Apex logo
graphics.coop more than met our expectations of service delivery and we would certainly recommend them as a company.
https://graphics.coop/testimonials/apex-scotland/

Social Research Association

We use @graphicscoop for most of our design work, but realised we've never thanked them, for being reliable, quick and sensibly priced!

via Twitter @TheSRAOrg

graphics.coop
2015-10-20T18:39:55+01:00

via Twitter @TheSRAOrg

Social Research Association Logo
We use @graphicscoop for most of our design work, but realised we've never thanked them, for being reliable, quick and sensibly priced!
https://graphics.coop/testimonials/social-research-association/

Cedar Project

graphics.coop staff are helpful, efficient and incredibly good at what they do.

Orlaith McAree, National Development Worker

graphics.coop
2015-11-16T10:38:11+00:00

Orlaith McAree, National Development Worker

Cedar Network Logo
graphics.coop staff are helpful, efficient and incredibly good at what they do.
https://graphics.coop/testimonials/cedar/

Low Energy Apartment Futures project, Changeworks

graphics.coop were brilliant to work with — we are really pleased with the end result. Definitely recommend!

Tessa Clark

graphics.coop
2015-10-20T18:51:35+01:00

Tessa Clark

Low Energy Apratment Futures Logo
graphics.coop were brilliant to work with — we are really pleased with the end result. Definitely recommend!
https://graphics.coop/testimonials/low-energy-apartment-futures-project-changeworks/

Voluntary Health Scotland

Working with graphics.coop has been a really good decision for VHS and we have recommended them time and again to other organisations in the third sector.

Claire Stevens, Voluntary Health Scotland

graphics.coop
2016-02-10T17:16:19+00:00

Claire Stevens, Voluntary Health Scotland

Voluntary Health Scotland logo
Working with graphics.coop has been a really good decision for VHS and we have recommended them time and again to other organisations in the third sector.
https://graphics.coop/testimonials/voluntary-health-scotland/

Scottish Rural Action

graphics.coop's work has always been of the highest quality, turned round quickly, and with a clear understanding of the brief and real creative flair. They're lovely people to work with!

Norman MacAskill, Director

graphics.coop
2015-10-20T18:41:56+01:00

Norman MacAskill, Director

graphics.coop's work has always been of the highest quality, turned round quickly, and with a clear understanding of the brief and real creative flair. They're lovely people to work with!
https://graphics.coop/testimonials/scottish-rural-action-and-care-farming-scotland/

Nourish Scotland

Working with graphics.coop is stress free — I highly recommend them to anyone.

Matilda Scharsach, Communications Manager

graphics.coop
2015-10-20T18:37:37+01:00

Matilda Scharsach, Communications Manager

Nourish Scotland Logo
Working with graphics.coop is stress free — I highly recommend them to anyone.
https://graphics.coop/testimonials/nourish-scotland/
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Contact us

E: info@graphics.coop T: 0131 464 0067

Unit 30, 1st Floor, Fleming House Fort Kinnaird Retail Park Edinburgh EH15 3RD
graphics.coop Fleming House, Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, Edinburgh EH15 3RD

@graphicscoop

  • We diverted the phone, turned off the screens, and switched off the lights last week. We're all set up to work from… https://t.co/aPFDhX4mj8 27th March 2020 8:28 am
  • 30 years ago today - Alison, Steve & Mitch arrived for work to open The Graphics Company for our first day's trading. 18th September 2019 2:15 pm
  • Our email is running again, having been down for 36 hours. Don't worry if you emailed us during the outage, we're j… https://t.co/vsbvF2qcin 1st May 2019 2:27 pm
  • Major announcement time - we've branched into two new companies! After months of planning, our web and print teams… https://t.co/KlDWm6DsNC 1st May 2019 7:15 am
  • Follow us on Twitter

Major announcement time – we’ve branched into two new companies!

After months of planning, our web and print teams have set up afresh so that each can concentrate on what it does best.

Our web team, Laura, Chris and Robert, are now Form & Function Digital Co-op based in Leith:

Form & Function Digital Co-op
Davidson House
57 Queen Charlotte Street
Edinburgh EH6 7EY
0131 510 8735

general email: hello@formandfunction.coop

twitter: @FaF_Digital

Design and print continues under the graphics.coop brand with Ross and Steve from our new office at Fort Kinnaird:

Graphics Co-op Ltd
Regus Express
Fleming House
30 Kinnaird Park
Edinburgh EH15 3RD
0131 464 0067

email: info@graphics.coop

twitter: @graphicscoop

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