Journal of Co-operative Studies, 35(3), 183-204

Abstract

This paper discusses how a value added statement can be adapted so as to take into consideration a fuller range of impacts produced by a co-operative. The conceptual framework used is that of social accounting, defined as a systematic analysis of the effects of an organisation on its communities of interest or stakeholders, with stakeholder input as part of the data that are analysed for the accounting statement. Value added statements rely on the information from financial statements but do not include non-monetised contributions such as member services to the organisation and volunteering. This paper shows how the value added statement can be expanded to produce an expanded value added statement that includes an imputed value for non-monetised contributions that normally are excluded from a value added statement. The example used is that of a student housing co-operative, but the principles can be applied to co-operatives more generally.