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MacoopA

Code of conduct

Maat Cooperative Africa

Code of conduct

All organizations have value systems and rules to protect them and ensure their continued existence. From the small company to the global company, via the small district association and the political party: every organization is a living entity that must successfully resolve crises, conflicts and disputes over the course of its life in order to continue to exist and to achieve its goals in the long term. A code of conduct provides ethical guidance that can help prevent conflicts in advance and resolve them successfully and efficiently when they arise. Such a work contains values, standards and moral criteria that form the basis for action within the organization and that must be known and observed by every member of the organization.

That is why the pan-African cooperative Maat Cooperative Africa - MacoopA eG has adopted the following code of conduct.

1. They facilitate the coexistence of the members of the organization
Norms, values or moral standards guide us in our relationships with other people inside and outside the organization and justify expectations of ourselves and our behavior.

2. They help us avoid or resolve disputes
When organizations emerge, conflicts often arise from different unresolved expectations. Therefore, in addition to the statutes, a clarification of the common vision and common values and objectives, documented in a code of conduct, is eminently important in order to avoid conflicts and to be able to resolve conflicts in an effective and peaceful manner.

3. More efficiency
In organizations where people share values and recognize, obey and consciously reflect on common rules, fewer resources are used to coordinate activities and everyone is more likely to be “striving in the same direction”.

4. Less corruption
Ethical awareness and resulting behavior prevents disproportionate use of benefits and promotes loyalty to the organization and the common good.

5. Greater personal satisfaction
One of the experiences that most enhances the dignity, happiness and motivation of the individual is the experience of fairness, fair treatment, recognition and appreciation. Everyone wants to be seen and appreciated in their dignity, uniqueness and talents.

6. Greater confidence
When an organization shares values and guidelines, expectations can be built on a well-defined common ground. Community life becomes easier when members can be sure that common values and rules will be respected.

We live sustainability in an authentic way, not for marketing purpose.

This document contains our values and principles of cooperation as members of Maat Cooperative Africa, MACOOPA eG. It is about our deepest convictions, the attitude towards others inside and outside our cooperative, the way we communicate and make decisions. This code cannot replace the intrinsic motivation to behave in a cooperative, empathetic, non-violent, supportive, appreciative and benevolent manner towards others; but it helps to remind us of the values we believe in and the obligations that come with them.

  1. To invite all of us to keep our values conscious and to regularly reflect on our agreements A code of conduct documents our ethical orientation, our values and our principles. The regular and systematic exchange on the agreements of the cooperative helps us to avoid errors and disproportionate expectations.
  2. Increase trust within the cooperative and our social environment. Making a public commitment increases trust in the organization and its parts because everyone involved in the organization knows what to expect. If you have no idea or guide on how the cooperative works, the level of mistrust can be high. Uncertainty about how someone else reacts in a conflict will be higher than knowing what the agreed attitude and approach is. This benefits both those who integrate into the cooperative - because they know what they can expect from others - but also society in general, which has clearer information on the cooperative, its functioning as well as its rules and values.

Our Vision

What is our dream of the world, in particular of Africa, our vision for African countries and for the living environment of Africans in the Diaspora – in which our loved ones and the next generations of Africans should live? What do we want to bring to this world, especially to this continent and its diaspora, through our work?

With MACOOPA eG, a cooperative was founded, which, regardless of its founders, is supposed to exist and have a lasting effect over several generations in the long term. This is why the foundations of this cooperative are laid with particular care so that it can exist as long as possible, regardless of the people and by its structures.

In African Union countries and in the African Diaspora, there is a noticeable awareness of a more humane life and economy, especially among people in public institutions, businesses and civic society.

The awareness for a more humane life in Africa and in the Diaspora is based on the principles of Maat, in particular African solidarity beyond national borders, in line with the Pan-African movement and the African renaissance.

In African Union countries and in the African Diaspora, there is a noticeable awareness of democracy at all levels that works with systemic consensus and related approaches. Democracy is more than majority voting. Democracy is the persistent search for consensus, based on the values of Maat. Systemic consensus is known as a method and is prevalent in all institutions.

In each country of the African Union and in the African Diaspora in Europe, our network is seen as a point of attraction for all people who seek a future in confidence and an economic model based on the values of human dignity, solidarity, justice, environmental sustainability, transparency and co-decision.

In all countries of the African Union and in the African Diaspora in Europe, there are a number of specific projects that have been either funded, initiated and implemented by or through the impact of MACOOPA eG and which demonstrate my a dazzling vision of the Economy for the Common Good.

In all countries of the African and European Union, there are a number of commercial, municipal and other public institutions in which the economy for the common good is actively lived and which have drawn up a balance sheet for the good common.

In each country of the African Union, there is a national representation of MACOOPA eG or an organization contractually linked with it with similar objectives.

In each country of the African Union, there is a national representation of MACOOPA eG or an organization contractually linked with it with similar objectives.

Mission

What is our mission, what is our contribution to making this vision a reality?

We practice and disseminate the Economy for the common Good (ECG) and the values of Maat through concrete projects and through pedagogical work. We anchor it in the communal, regional economic activity and we develop its foundations, approaches and instruments further. We want to make the Economy for the Common Good tangible.

We show that even if competition and profit are part of human and economic life, economy cannot be built primarily on competition and the search for profit, but on cooperation, sharing and the search for the common good.

We advocate dignified interaction with each other - in everyday life as well as in professional life.

Our Values

MACOOPA eG sees itself as a Maat cooperative. Such a cooperative is based on the cardinal values of Maat, which are well documented from ancient Africa and can be briefly summarized in the following key words:

  1. Self respect
  2. Truth
  3. Justice
  4. Perfection
  5. Harmony
  6. Balance
  7. Reciprocity

Maat's principles are reflected in the Ubuntu concept, which has become internationally known as Africa's canon of values over the past few decades, not least through the influence of Nelson Mandela. At least two important principles play a role in Ubuntu:

  1. I am because you are and you are because I am.
  2. Each person is the guardian of the other person.

The values of Maat and Ubuntu are the orientation points of the so-called "African Renaissance". They also coincide with the values of economics for the common good, which as a movement has developed and tested a practical instrument to assess how an organization deals with these values. MACOOPA eG is expressly committed to pan-Africanism, the realistic utopia of African renaissance, African unity in diversity and economy for the common good and contributes to their realization. The cooperative works closely with the non-profit association Maat-GWÖ e.V. - Common Good Economy Africa.

Principles of cooperation

Involvement in MACOOPA eG is basically open to all people, regardless of origin and skin color, who share the same values and goals as the organization. Each person is a precious asset for our pan-African cooperative. At the same time, we want to commit ourselves to being as conscious as possible of fruitful relations and peaceful cooperation. In order to minimize differences and misunderstandings, I declare to share the spirit of mutual commitment:

I live the values of MACOOPA eG (self-respect, truth, justice, perfection, harmony, balance, reciprocity) in the best possible way.
I guess all the other members also want the best for MA-COOPA eG. This is why I meet the people of the organization in a benevolent and open way. Each member gets a leap of faith.

At the same time, I remain attentive to the interests of the entire organization. If I feel something is going wrong, I raise my concerns and try to resolve them with other stakeholders in a constructive discussion.

I will also help implement a solution. MA-COOPA eG's vision serves as a guiding star. If I would like certain things to happen in the future, then I get involved and I don't just make requests. If for some reason I can no longer contribute, I can always give constructive feedback or bring new ideas into the room. I cannot assume that my suggestions will be implemented.

I get involved in all MACOOPA eG committees where I feel a strong inner motivation. I'll see if this topic is already being worked on. If there are already members for this, I will join them. If this is not possible, I start building something in this area myself and communicate it to the committees of the cooperative. It's okay if you don't care about certain things or if no one has the motivation or skills to take on those tasks. Agreements are binding. If it turns out that it is not possible to join an agreement for any reason, I will inform everyone with whom the agreement has been reached and work with them to find a solution. 

When I take responsibility for an activity, I do my best to reliably complete my work within the agreed time frame. If I wish to return a liability, I will communicate this at a time that will allow others to find a suitable successor, and I will also actively assist in the search. I also ensure that all information, documents, access codes etc. are carefully delivered and ensures that I no longer appear as a contact or coordination person on the Internet.

Before taking on my responsibilities, I make sure they are clearly defined. If there are disagreements regarding responsibilities during the process, I will clarify the issue.

When I see that I no longer have broad support, I make my position available.

I treat all members of the cooperative, regardless of national origin, profession, social status, gender, with appreciation, respect and on an equal footing.

I do my best to be open and honest as well as transparency - and thus create trust.

I acknowledge that I share responsibility for successful communication.

I say my opinion, but also accept the opinion of others. If I don't understand another person's point of view, I'll ask until I get clarity. If I notice that central terms are understood differently, I bring about a common understanding.

Successful communication is important to me and I help to make it happen (e.g. by using non-violent communication methods).

I aim for personal talks and meetings. If this is not possible, I prefer telephone calls to written correspondence. E-mails, WhatsApp messages and similar communication channels are usually only used for factual information exchange. As soon as things get emotional, I look for more personal forms of communication.

In discussions, I think carefully about what I can contribute constructively in order to achieve a good result. Anything that is not wiser than silence may remain unspoken.

I always assume everyone else has positive intentions. When things bother me about another person, I speak to them personally. I can also show emotions. I try not to humiliate anyone. Instead, I wait for an opportune moment to bring it up. If that is not possible, I contact the moderators or the responsible arbitration bodies.

I am aware that the way I speak publicly about MacoopA eG can affect the cooperative as a whole. When looking at negative aspects, I am particularly careful.

Basically, I act independently. Everything is decided in the smallest possible group of people involved.

The freedom of the individual stops where the freedom of the other begins: no one has the right to decide without a mandate on the heads of the persons concerned. This applies to both individuals and committees within the cooperative.

If I am sure that no other member will be affected by my plan, I will decide myself.

If, on the other hand, other members could be affected, I will explain my project to them and we will decide together what to do. This can happen bilaterally as well as in meetings - depending on who is involved.

At MACOOPA eG, we make decisions in a fundamentally democratic way. We like to try progressive ways of democratic participation.
We recommend the following decision-making methods:

  1. Consensus,
  2. Consent,
  3. Systemic consensus.

Diversity and Inclusion

International Partners

Diversity and Inclusion

International Partners

Diversity and Inclusion

International Partners

Diversity and Inclusion

International Partners

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