Coop amba – member democracy reimagined

Many member associations today are facing a tipping point in the development of their member democracy: How do they stay relevant to their members and ensure engagement and support in the future?

The member association Coop amba, which previously owned and operated the Coop Danmark shopping chain, was at a crossroads in 2024 when they sold the operation and controlling influence of the shopping stores to the energy company OK. With the divestment, Coop amba had to evolve its organizational structure for a new future, reinvent the purpose of the association and rethink its member democracy to remain relevant to its 2 million co-owners.

We Do Democracy helped drive the strategy development process with Coop amba’s organization and board, with the aim of developing the association’s strategy and the organization’s governance model with democratic support from the association’s National Council and its members. The first major milestone was to get the new model adopted at the National Council in the fall of 2025.

We Do Democracy designed, facilitated and led a co-creation process of the association’s new strategy and governance model. As part of this process, strengths and weaknesses of the existing member democracy were mapped and potential new models for reorganization were mapped. With international inspiration and a look into other democratic arenas.

The new strategy would focus on the organization’s member democracy and how this could be rethought to meet today’s food industry challenges and engagement demands – both to ensure influence and relevance for the 2 million members and for Coop amba in the future.

The strategy became the basis for dialogue meetings with boards and members across Denmark, a reorganization of the organization’s national board, and a mobilization campaign with new partnerships and key issues. In addition, the strategy set in motion the work of creating more engagement and participation among current and new members.

Coop amba’s association strategy was adopted at the National Council meeting in the fall of 2024, where increased member involvement in the association’s key issues and activities was a central focus. Coop amba implemented a halving of the National Council and new statutes, which ensure that the association’s role is adapted to its new reality and position in the Danish member-democratic landscape – as well as a more offensive and present way in Danes’ everyday lives.

Coop amba has started to create new ways to empower their members, for example through key issue voting – which was launched in June 2025. In addition, new partnerships have been formed to focus on being the members’ voice in the sustainable development of the food industry.