Our story

Direct Global (Direct Global Buying Corp.) is a technology company which focuses on developing and operating platforms, allowing purchasers to leverage collective purchasing powers to reduce the cost of procuring products, services, raw materials and finished goods. The company’s proprietary web-based platform enables small and medium-sized businesses to use collective purchasing power to reduce purchasing and shipping costs.

Direct Global has developed a web-based marketplace platform (www.directcoops.com) that works with local business associations, co-ops, unions and others to connect local small and medium enterprises and enable them to aggregate orders for goods and services from local and national manufacturers, suppliers and service providers.

The Direct Initiative leverages the Direct Global platform to network and unite the buying power of the members of member-based associations and co-operatives who share common interests and believe in principles of fairness.

Direct Global’s mission is to create a sharing economy which creates a level playing field for both small and large businesses, encouraging small and local businesses to work together for a shared good.

Direct Global has co-created the Local Driver Federation Co-operative (Local Driver Co-op/Fare.Coop) for the transport of people and goods. Local Driver Co-op is a co-operative that is owned locally by the member drivers, who receive 90% of the fares and delivery fees. This allows us to not just save our riders and customers up to 20% versus Uber and Lyft, but to also pay our drivers more.

Direct Global is the Canadian strategic partner to the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and an ecommerce partner to NCBA-CLUSA (America’s oldest co-operative association representing 1 in 3 Americans), an official partner of the United Nations under the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the exclusive ecommerce platform to the US Pacific Rim Chamber of Commerce. It has been featured on Bloomberg-BNN, CBC, The Sun, Yahoo! Finance, Business Insider and received mention in “Everything for Everyone”, Nathan Schneider’s seminal text on the modern business co-operative movement.

What is a co-operative?

A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise.

Co-operatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

Co-operative Principles

The co-operative principles are guidelines by which cooperatives put their values into practice.

1. Voluntary and Open Membership

Co-operatives are voluntary organisations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

2. Democratic Member Control

Co-operatives are democratic organisations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women serving as elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary co-operatives members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote) and cooperatives at other levels are also organised in a democratic manner.

3. Member Economic Participation

Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the co-operative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing their cooperative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefiting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.

4. Autonomy and Independence

Co-operatives are autonomous, self-help organisations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organisations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.

5. Education, Training, and Information

Co-operatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their co-operatives. They inform the general public – particularly young people and opinion leaders – about the nature and benefits of co-operation.

6. Cooperation among Co-operatives

Co-operatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

7. Concern for Community

Co-operatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.