We're new. We haven't registered as an organization. We're still forming and looking for more initial members to take us forward.

A social enterprise is a way to describe a business that's trying to achieve something positive for people and/or the environment, beyond simply generating wealth. 

We'll register as a Cooperative Corporation in Pennsylvania. It's a for-profit business structure where workers/members own the business and democratically make decisions.

In January 2025, we debuted the idea for This Co-op in an article called,"Let's Make This Co-op." Check it out to learn more about our  philosophy and goals.

Cover image description: A Venn diagram with three overlapping circles labeled "Teams” (light beige), "Departments” (dark brown), and "Schools” (red). The background has an organic shape in neutral earth tones. Inside the organic shape, arrows connect the words "Board of Directors" to the “Department” and “School”. Outside of the organic shape, arrows connect the words “Board of Advisors” to the “Department” circle and to the “Board of Directors.” 

In May and June 2026, we worked with Chatham University graduate students who delivered the report and presentation to the left along with an opportunity assessment tool and suggestions for making our vision and goals more clear. Their work gives us a fantastic starting point! 

In their words "The goal of our project was to establish a strategic foundation and conduct potential product analyses for This Co-op, an emerging worker cooperative based in Allegheny County,Pennsylvania. Founded with a social purpose to provide meaningful work for entry-level and transitioning workers, This Co-op aims to create circular products (focused on Home & Garden) that will serve as the primary teaching tool for classes, workshops, and apprenticeships while generating revenue for members.

While the initial scope of the project focused on product evaluation, the final scope expanded to address critical foundational needs, such as organizational structure, governance, funding, and member recruitment."