Co-ops are Good for the Planet –
And for People Too:

Welcome to the NCB Co-op 100
Chances are that you, like millions of Americans, are playing a part in the "green" revolution. Maybe you’re recycling newspapers and aluminum cans. Or you’ve switched to fluorescent light bulbs, drive a bicycle, own a hybrid car or seek out locally grown produce.

It’s no surprise that America’s co-ops are also doing their part to benefit and protect the environment. As member-owned and member-driven businesses, co-ops are often the first to recognize emerging American trends and values.

While focusing on member needs, cooperatives also work for the sustainable development of their communities. That concern for community is one of the seven cooperative principles that drive co-ops every day. In fact, America’s cooperatives were among the first businesses to espouse environmentally friendly values, back in the 1960s and 1970s when food co-ops began cultivating "green" ideologies.

Today, co-ops and their members are investing in renewable fuels, practicing sustainable farming, and constructing more energy- and water-efficient offices and buildings. They’re supplying wind and biomass energy, preserving wetlands and wildlife habitat, and working to improve air quality.

NCB too is playing its part in environmental stewardship. We are developing Bank-wide ways to make our offices and operations more environmentally friendly. At the same time, we’re developing more holistic solutions to empower underserved communities. Our goal is to create more affordable cooperative homeownership, assisted living, housing and services for the frail and elderly, and facilities for health care centers and charter schools.

As the nation’s cooperatives apply their considerable power to eco-friendly programs, they’re continuing to generate the impressive revenues that help make America’s economy the strongest one in the world. In fact, in 2006, the top 100 co-ops in the country generated more than $150 billion in revenues, an increase of $11 billion over 2005. Take a closer look at this year’s NCB Co-op 100® for these member-owned powerhouses.

Co-ops deliver valuable products and services, employ hundreds of thousands of Americans and benefit the world around them. It’s clear that co-ops are not only good for business and the planet -but good for people too.

Charles E. Snyder
President and Chief Executive Officer
NCB
Washington, DC