Newsletters: November - December 2007
Ends, Means, and the NLM Scene
Natural Times-November/December 2007
By Joshua Youngblood, Board Director
In the annual meeting this past June, owners raised many important questions about the state and direction of the Co-op. One concern addressed the Ends Policies and whether the Ends are being given the attention they demand. To help answer that question, I would like to discuss Ends Policies from the Board of Directors' perspective, and highlight the Ends-related issues that we deal with in our efforts to represent the member-owners of New Leaf Market. What are Ends Policies? And how does New Leaf Market abide by them?
As posted in the store and included in much of New Leaf Market's published materials, here are our Ends Policies:
- New Leaf Market educates and advocates for our owners as consumers.
- New Leaf Market supports local, organic, cooperative and fair labor suppliers.
- Through New Leaf Market, community is created and empowered.
- New Leaf Market takes organizational action to achieve a healthy environment.
Stated simply, the Ends Policy defines the purpose of an organization, the big "Why are we here?" question. Ends Policies lay out what the Co-op does and serve as a philosophical guide. However, the statement of Ends must not be too rigid or restrictive, yet the language must guarantee that the task is accomplished. Ends must allow management to operate effectively and allow the Co-op to grow "organically," while remaining true to its core beliefs and purpose. Ends must provide direction for the real-time operation of the store, but also be forward-thinking, envisioning change in terms of generations. They must be realistic but idealistic, plainly spoken but subtle, clear but open to interpretation by the management. In addition, it is very important to remember that Ends are not "Means." The Ends are what we are, not the nut and bolts of how we do it. The board does not operate the Co-op; we oversee it on behalf of all the owners and plan for the future. One way we do that is by keeping a close eye on the Ends.
Each year, General Manager Larrane Hartridge reports to the board on how well the store has complied with the Ends Policy. The Board has consistently agreed with her that the Co-op is in compliance with the Ends. Larrane shares a wealth of information with the Board as evidence. For instance, to educate owners and the community, New Leaf Market conducts more than 100 in-store seminars per year on a variety of topics, including cooking, yoga, alternative medicine, spirituality, knitting and organic gardening/plant sales. Furthermore, education and advocacy are accomplished through the six annual informative issues of this newsletter. We mailed 27,000 issues of Natural Times to owners this past year and an additional 9,000 copies were hand-delivered to businesses or handed out in the store.
New Leaf Market endeavors to provide as many local, organic and fair trade products as possible and supports local and cooperative producers. The store promotes recycling, green-energy consumption, reducing overall waste, and ensuring that its environment is as free as possible from toxins in cleaning solutions, pesticides, or other contaminants. New Leaf Market donates older equipment and used products, such as printer cartridges, to other local organizations. The store actively pursues community outreach and opportunities to assist locally-owned and like-minded businesses starting up in Tallahassee.
In pursuit of New Leaf Market's Ends, board members are educating themselves on important issues to help hone the vision of the Co-op. We have begun meeting with experts on local food production, urban growth, and green building alternatives (many of these experts have spoken at board meetings which are, of course, open to all owners). Now that the store's expansion has begun, the board is actively considering what the future holds as New Leaf Market continues to grow. We will continue to grapple with pressing concerns such as fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, food and supplement safety, organic standards, and sustainability.
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of New Leaf Market's Ends Policy and the extent to which the Co-op has worked to achieve those Ends, the board established a standing committee to review the policies and suggest modifications where appropriate. The existence of this committee and the process of evaluation do not mean that the Ends are going to be changed in the near future or that they are somehow undefined. It is instead a way for the Board to be actively thinking about the fundamental purpose, or essence, of the Co-op. It is imperative that the Ends be constantly under review.
The Ends represent the entirety of the ownership of New Leaf Market. Concerns about the Ends-are they are adequate? Are we doing enough? Are we there yet?-should definitely be voiced and will be listened to. The Board meets every month and would love to hear from any and everybody. If you cannot make a meeting, there are two comment boxes at the front of the store, one for management and one for the Board of Directors (BOD) Comments about products you would like to see (or NOT see) in the store, staff performance, or displays that don't work, are meant for the management. Concerns about what the store is doing, why we have chosen a certain path, or how you would like New Leaf Market to change as an organization and a co-op, should be placed in the BOD box. Better yet, come to a meeting or stop a board member in the aisle and let the dialogue begin.
Just because New Leaf Market has not been perfect in its efforts to educate, go green, be chemical-free, and build community does not necessarily mean that the cooperative is not fulfilling its mission or complying with the Ends. New Leaf Market is a growing, evolving, and hopefully, ever-progressing community and organization. It is important to keep in mind that, in addition to the broader philosophical and social aspirations of the Co-op as represented in the Ends Policy, the successful operation of the store is in part a fulfillment of the Ends.
Ends policies represent not only the overall blueprint for what the Co-op does, but also what the Co-op strives to achieve. Although firmly established and closely adhered to, Ends Policies are also living, not static. Because circumstances-not to mention laws and community demands-change, all Ends-driven organizations, including co-ops like New Leaf Market, will never fulfill all aspects and possible interpretations of their Ends. Nor should they. Ends are what we are now, but also, what we will be in the future. And as owners as well as board members, we are optimistic that the future holds great possibilities.
