Central Worker Cooperative

The Central Worker Cooperative (CWC), a prominent entity within Japan’s cooperative landscape, maintains a close association with the Japanese Worker Cooperative Union. Founded in 1987, its initial focus on hospital cleaning and distribution centre work expanded to encompass elderly care, public services, and disability support. Initially operating under associative and conventional enterprise structures due to the absence of a worker cooperative law, the CWC legally transitioned to a worker cooperative in 2023–2024. The company’s employment base is approximately 10,000 workers, with a female employment rate of 66%, a significant presence of older workers (61.2% over the age of 50), and approximately 9% of the workforce comprising individuals with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds. This highlights the cooperative’s substantial social impact. The CWC’s governance structure is characterised by a multi-tiered system, encompassing local business centres and culminating in an annual general assembly. The organisation’s primary focus is on “services of general interest”, encompassing care services, frequently through government contracts. Now, the CWC aspires to implement a multi-stakeholder model to strengthen its engagement with the Social and Solidarity Economy through initiatives such as community support programmes.