Outline

Outline of the Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union

There are approximately 600 consumer co-operatives with 22,000,000 members in Japan (out of a total population of 127,000,000). From the Hokkaido in the north to Osaka in the south, the Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union, (hereafter SC or SCCU) which consists of an association of 29 consumer co-operatives active in 19 administrative divisions (prefectures) of Japan, has altogether about 307,000 members, most of whom are women. In addition, there are 9 associated companies such as a milk factory.
The SCCU carries out the development, purchasing, distribution, and inspection of consumer materials (food, general daily goods, clothes, publications), operates a mutual assistance fund, and publishes PR and ordering information for pre-order collective purchase. In addition, the entire union works on problems such as GMOs and the environmental hormones issue by setting up committees and establishing projects which are run by SC members and SCCU staff.
The SC member unit is based on the nearly 200 independent branches, all of which have independent management and activities. SC funding is from the members, who make monthly contributions of 1000 yen per person. The accumulated contributions total 27,600 million yen, an average investment of approximately 93,000 yen per member. These investments are the foundation of our healthy financial management.

Established: March 12, 1990
Name: Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union
Location: Welship Higashi Shinjuku , 6-24-20 Shinjuku, Shinju Ku, Tokyo, Japan 160-0022
Tel: (03)-5285-1771
Fax: (03)-5285-1839
E-mail: info@seikatsuclub.coop
URL: http: //www.seikatsuclub.coop/

Representatives:Chairperson: Koichi Kato
Executive Director: Yoshiyuki Fukuoka
Managing Director: Junji Aso, Takayuki Watanabe

Full-time Staff: The SCCU has a staff of 106 (a staff of approximately 1,300, including the co-operatives and the associated companies)

The following are the 29 co-operatives of the group

Seikatsu Club Tokyo	23Ku Minami ("23 Wards South") Seikatsu Club
Kita Tokyo("North Tokyo") Seikatsu Club	Tama Kita("Tama North") Seikatsu Club
Tama Minami ("Tama South") Seikatsu Club	Seikatsu Club Kanagawa
Yokohama Kita("Yokohama North") Seikatsu Club	Yokohama Minami ("Yokohama South") Seikatsu Club
Kawasaki Seikatsu Club	Syonan Seikatsu Club
Sagami Seikatsu Club	Fukushi ("Welfare") Club
Seikatsu Club Saitama	Seikatsu Club Chiba
Seikatsu Club Nagano	Seikatsu Club Hokkaido
Seikatsu Club Ibaraki	Seikatsu Club Yamanashi
Seikatsu Club Iwate	Seikatsu Club Shizuoka
Seikatsu Club Aichi	Seikatsu Club Tochigi
Seikatsu Club Aomori	Seikatsu Club Yamagata Co-operative
Seikatsu Club Gunma	Seikatsu Club Fukushima Co-operative
Seikatsu Club Ohsaka	Seikatsu Club Kyoto L･Co-op
Seikatsu Club Nara

Total membership of independent co-operatives (as of August 31, 2007)

• Number of members: 301,761
• Membership according to organizational structure: Small groups ("Han") approximately 120,000; House to house delivery 140,000; Depot(shop) 40,000
• Turnover:79,200,000,000 yen (US$687,000,000)
• Accumulated Funds: 27,600,000,000 yen (US$240,000,000)

Alternative economic activity

In December 1989, SC received the Honorary Right Livelihood Award, which is considered to be the "alternative Nobel Prize." The award was given to the housewives' movement as it is regarded to be a form of "alternative economic activity against industrial society's prioritization of efficiency." The prize evaluated the movement for its continuing interest in human health and the environment when producing essential materials for living.
Since the end of the Second World War, the logic of enterprise became dominant in the social atmosphere in Japan, and this has encouraged mass production and mass consumption. Meanwhile the Japanese economy grew by leaps and bounds and the extravagant usage and wastefulness of resources has penetrated our lifestyle. SC began to wonder about the emphasis on the outward appearance and value-added of goods which contain various additives like agricultural chemicals, artificial colorings, preservatives, and so on. In the meantime SC, with the cooperation of producers, refused to remain as passive consumers who buy appealing goods one by one in the market, and we at SC are now creating food and other essential goods with a concern for safety for human health and the environment. In addition, the movement began to relate to the boycott movements against detergents, which can cause water pollution, and against GM foods, where there is no proof of safety. Moreover, the movement has involved itself in countermeasures for environmental hormones in packaging as well as the reuse-recycle movement. "Seikatsu" ("life") means the lives of people. "Living people" thus signifies people who are not only consuming, but aggressively and consciously considering the existence of life though working and playing in their daily lives. SC is seeking a fair world and a higher quality, more sustainable way of life, through people's actual daily life activities.

Pre-order collective purchase

The purpose of the pre-order collective purchase system of the SC is to supply consumer goods whose raw material is known, without excessive expense. Due to pre-ordering, the members are able to have a well-planned consumer life. Moreover, the producer can supply fresh goods to the consumer, which use no preservatives, because of well-planned production and efficient shipment. The members, who are organized into "Han" (small groups) of several members each, can assure reasonable production and distribution, and can reduce prices. The consumer goods are delivered directly to either the "Han" or the individual though the SC center. In addition, delivery eliminates risks which can occur with overheads and huge stocks of goods.

Development of safe food at a fair price

It is said that major supermarkets stock 300,000 kinds of merchandise. However, SC deals in only about 3,000 general consumer goods items, of which 60% are basic foodstuffs such as rice, milk, eggs, frozen fish and vegetables.
The size and content options of any consumer item is restricted to only one or two choices, and because of this the SC can hold down rising costs and the waste of resources while maintaining the quality of merchandise. Moreover, the SC believes it is important to develop a variety of cooking techniques which combine the limited materials.
The SC, without forgetting concern for the environment, is developing consumer goods which are nutritious and tasty, and at the same time can be efficiently produced, distributed, consumed and disposed. Underlying this is the formation of agreements and reliable relationships between the producers and ourselves. Both producers and SC are committed to full freedom of information to the public while having thorough discussions regarding quality, manufacturing methods, and methods of storage and distribution.
The prices of the main consumer items are determined according to the producer cost guarantee system, in which all producer costs from production to distribution are made public. In this way, the producer's livelihood and business are secured.
Through the pre-order collective purchase system, producers and consumers are sharing reduced costs, constantly understanding each other's position, and maintaining trusting relationships. We are aiming to develop an even higher level of products while continuing to fulfill our social and global responsibility.

Consumer goods produced to our strict independent standard.

SC is primarily buying rice, meat, eggs, frozen fish, vegetables, fruit, miso, soy sauce, salt, cooking oil and spices as well as clothing, general merchandise, books, toys, travel and culture tickets through collective purchase.
Collective purchase goods are called "consumer materials" instead of "commodities," because of the vision of emphasizing utility value rather than the pursuit of profit.

Main characteristics of typical consumer materials

1. Milk
   SC is producing milk at our own factory using pasteurization sterilization (72℃ for 15 seconds). The nutritional value and flavor of milk is changed by thermal denaturation of calcium and protein in the super-high temperature sterilization (120-150℃) used by most commercial milk manufacturers in Japan. Pasteurized milk can be produced only with high quality natural milk. Therefore, SC milk, which is already milked according to strict health administration standards, is produced to extremely rigid quality inspection standards. Ice cream and yogurt are also produced from the same natural milk.
2. Chicken eggs
   SC's egg producing chickens are all a domestic species from a Gifu Prefecture hatchery which does not rely on medicines such as antibiotics for breeding, unlike typical chicken eggs on the market in Japan that are mostly from imported species. Egg producing chickens are given salmonella vaccine and regular inspections are carried out. The feed uses post-harvest free (PHF) and non-GMO raw materials, as far as possible is domestically produced. SC eggs arrive within 48 hours after laying. Eggs are delivered unwashed because the cuticular layer which covers the outside of eggs helps to keep them fresh.
3. Pork
   Our pork is mainly from crossbreeds of Duroc, Landrace, and Berkshires, which are sturdy animals giving good quality and tasty meat. Our SC pork is grown in open pigsties without any use of antibacterial substances. We stipulate PHF, non-GMO feed, and are using feed rice grown on set-aside fields in order to improve Japan's self-sufficiency in feed, and to help preserve farmland and the local environment. More than 30 processed goods items, primarily pork sausages, with this pork.

Independent Control and Auditing System

SCCU has established safety, health, and environment principles which guide its operations. Producers ratify these SC principles in order to participate in the system and work with SC members to achieve improvements in terms of the principles. This system is characteristic in that it is different from general environment and quality control standards and certification systems. Producers make information public based on the independent standards in agriculture, fishery, stock raising and processed food. The Independent Control Committee, consisting of SC members and producers, examines the degree of attainment of standards and also revises standards to a higher level. Under the supervision of the Independent Auditing Committee, consisting of SC members, members carry out "mass independent auditing". This auditing of the sites of production by members is one of the unique activities of the SC, which is based in SC history.

SCCU Principles on safety, health, and, the environment

1. (1)Pursuit of safety for consumer materials
2. (2)Raising self-sufficiency in food
3. (3)Reduction of harmful substances
4. (4)Sustainable use of natural resources
5. (5)Reduction of waste and promotion of reuse
6. (6)Reduction of energy use
7. (7)Reduction of risk
8. (8)Information disclosure
9. (9)Independent control and auditing
10. (10) Mass participation

Independent standards: an example of an item in the agricultural standards

• Prohibited items: aerial spraying of agricultural chemicals, GMO produce, use of agricultural chemicals for unclear reasons, residual agricultural chemicals exceeding one-tenth of the national standards in edible materials
• Recommended items: disclosure of records for past three years of cultivation, production of seasonal crop items, implementation of crop rotations, non-use of herbicides

Anti-GMO movement

In January 1997, SC determined "in principle not to use GM crops and food" and opposed the commercialization of GM food, which has unknown effects on health and the environment and is not labeled. At the same time, in cooperation with producers, SC has inspected every consumer material while proceeding with its own labeling system and the exclusion of GM food, feed, and additives. Moreover, an appeal campaign to local governments for GM food labeling was carried out, and a petition submitted to the national assembly to introduce a labeling system and reinforce food safety approval and inspection system totaled 680,000 signatures. This petition was adopted by the national assembly.
Meanwhile, with the contamination of food with the possible allergy-causing GM corn variety Starlink, the genetic contamination of seeds and native varieties, the inability to control GM crops, and the danger to biodiversity and food safety has become increasingly clear. Nevertheless, the cultivation of GM crops has become more widespread, and a handful of multinational companies are preparing to take over the world's food system using patent rights.
The SCCU, working with other co-operative groups has formed the "Stop GM Rice Co-operative Network," has undertaken a national survey of GM food labeling, and has demanded that the minister of agriculture and the minister of health and welfare upgrade the labeling system. Observers have also been sent to the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived from Biotechnology (BT Task Force), which formulates international standards for GM food, and demanded that the participating countries recognize the establishment of traceability, full compulsory labeling, full implementation of the precautionary principle, safety inspections by third parties as a basic principle with a petition from over 600 organizations. This autumn a demand will be made to the national assembly for (1) full compulsory labeling and (2) the banning of GM rice for food and feed, and an appeal movement to demand (3) the non-use of GM rice in school meals will be undertaken in the local governmental regions.

The Green System and Countermeasures Against Environmental Hormones in Packaging Materials

SC is not only concerned with food safety, but also practices collective purchase of consumer materials with consideration for production, distribution, consumption, and disposal, and has also considered the disposal of packaging materials after use.
Because it will contribute to the solution of all garbage problems, the solution to the problem of packaging, since it makes up 60% of the volume of household waste, SC has adopted the use of the "multiple reuse returnable jar/bottle". Glass container reuse has been called "the SC members' movement for solving the problem of packaging refuse," and has been carried out with the cooperation of producers and the bottle industry. This original activity, begun in 1994, is called the Green System. This is short for Garbage Reduction for Ecology and Earth's Necessity.
As we enter the 21st century, the reuse of milk bottles and the recycle of milk bottle plastic caps and picking bags (personal bags for pre-ordered items) has been added to the above.

Features of the Green System

1. (1)Unification of the standard for returnable bottles, and using the same standard bottle for several different consumer materials, has helped to raise the efficiency of collection, sorting, and washing. The R mark of the Japan Glass Container Association has been stamped on the bottles.
2. (2)Producers (manufacturers), SC (sellers), and Elix (bottle producers and distributors) now jointly operate a Bottle Reuse Council.

The glass containers Reuse results

• The collection rate of returnable bottles in 2005 was 77.5%.
• Our reuse of bottles contributed to the reduction of the CO2 discharge. We could reduce 7.4kg(per person) of it in 2005.

Regarding other packaging materials, the non-use of PVC, which is a source of dioxins, and countermeasures against environmental hormones from cans and other sources, has been tackled. A dioxin monitoring campaign has also been started, and the national dioxin pollution picture is being made clear by the analysis of pine needles.

Local community-based welfare care

The ageing of society is occurring rapidly in Japan and it is estimated that by the middle of this century over 30% of the population will be 65 or older. SC is beginning to respond to this social change in advance and has set up social welfare corporations and NPO organizations and so on to manage such organizations as day service centers and special nursing homes for the aged on the basis of the co-operative union organization and citizen participation in welfare projects.
According to the investigation in 2005, about 10,000 people throughout the SC movement are now involved in providing home or institutional care services for the aged. The number of the welfare establishments amounts to 448, and that of the people who is taking care services, about 30,000. Total time of care services (involving home cares) amounts to 1,430,000 hours as well.
Further, since the start of the nursing care insurance system in Japan, confidence in SC has risen and income from these projects is now about 8.3 billion (109) yen per year. This is the result of placing importance on people helping each other out in the local communities, and we fully expect this to expand greatly in the future.

New Social Movements Born from the Seikatsu Club

SC has always pursued a sustainable and ecological way of life and production in which people can manage their own lives by themselves. From that experience, and in order to solve the problems that people face in their local communities, SC has given birth to new social movements. They are (1)the Network Movement and, (2)the Workers' Collective Movement.
The Seikatsu Club, the Network and the Workers' Collective are different movement groups that are independent to each other. However these three are making a challenge to build our "co-operative local community" through confronting and solving the problems of local communities.

(1)Reform of Local Assemblye

The Network Movement is the activity that participates in politics positively. Through outlawing synthetic detergents and the soap use movement, SC members also organized direct appeal movements to local governments. However, they keenly realized that participation to politics and reforming of local assemblies were necessary to let politics reflect citizens' voice.
Groups of SC members began to get together in the regions to form independent political organizations, and the Network Movement to elect representatives to local assemblies. At present there are "Seikatsusha Network" (Seikatsusha = "people who live," in the sense of "inhabitants" rather than "consumers") and "Citizen Network" organizations throughout the country, with 141 representatives in local assemblies who are working to realize policies to protect the environment and improve the welfare system.

(2)Workers' Collective Movement

The Workers' Collective Movement is the activity that creates workplaces in the local societies. Workers' collectives are a new form of working in the co- operative style where the workers fund, manage and work in their own enterprise. There are now about 582 workers' collectives embracing 17,052 people. They perform enterprises such as box lunch preparation, bread baking and other food processing, care for the aged and handicapped, kindergartens, recycling, editing, advertising, designing, sorting and delivery of consumer materials.

Exchange and Solidarity with World and International NGOs to Work for Peace

SC is carrying out exchange and solidarity activities with NGOs and co-operatives in many countries of the world. In 1983, we formed a co-operative partnership with the National Credit Union Federation of Korean（NACUFOK）, and in 1999 formed a three-way sister partnership with the Women Link of the Republic of Korea and the Homemakers' Union and Foundation (HUF) of Taiwan and are continuing mutual visit and study activities. SCCU has set up a permanent Women's Committee and is publishing a seasonal (four issues per year) Union Women's Committee Letter in order to further the work of the three-way sister partnership. In 2000, we held an International Symposium in Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Laidlaw Report to which we invited Dr. Ian MacPherson. We also participated actively in such events as the UN Conference on Disarmament and the Conference on the Environment and Development (The Earth Summit). In 2002 we submitted to both the Japanese and American governments a "Declaration Opposing AllForms of Terror and Demanding an Immediate Cessation of Military Action," and carried out a fund-raising campaign called the "Afghan Life Fund," as well as other peace activities.
We are also participating in citizens' trade in carrying out collective purchase of pesticide-free bananas from Philippine people who are trying to become economically independent through production of these bananas.
In the current world, where the influence of huge multinational corporations is growing stronger by the day, the existence of local, independent activist organizations that are trying to protect people and the environment is crucial. We intend to work for the realization of a citizen-governed co-operative local society by working hand-in-hand with these groups across national borders.

Action Principles

The SCCU is promoting now The Forth Collective Purchasing System Mid-Term Plan (2005-2009), based on the 4 following action principles.

1. Improvement of Food self-sufficient rate
   
   • We carry out the collective purchase policy that improves the food self-sufficient rate. It is based on a way of thinking of food sovereignty that aims at fair production and the truth of food.
   • We aim at the Production / Circulation / Consumption / Disposal that we can take responsibility for, through participating in the production structure as a consumer, while utilizing our self-government / self-inspection system. And we promote the action to "a seed and agricultural methods", the use concentration to 6 main items, consumption materials development, GM measures, and the feed policy.
2. Construction of Sustainable circulation type society
   
   • We promote the reduction of a chemical substance, resources circulation, 3R(Reduce /Reuse/Recycle), aiming at construction of Sustainable circulation type society and maintenance of ecosystem, by the collective purchase policy and the self-government movement.
   • We begin the national movement that revise the law of recycling containers and packing, aiming at improving 3R, and pursuing enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
3. Construction of Local cooperation society
   
   • In the society where few children and lots of senior citizens are, we promote our collective purchase enterprise and our mutual assistance fund that both the child care generation and the old generation can participate.
   • As a member of a nonprofit cooperation sector, ｗe aim at community / gender equality society structure by citizen's autonomy.
4. "Making much of "Value and Principle of Cooperative"
   
   • We raise the significance of being of SC as a cooperative. Therefore we strengthen a function of the alliance laying sovereignty over SC members and SC, and aiming at democratic administration, I push forward information disclosure and participation positively.
   • We make much of "Value and Principle of Cooperative" as the compliance of SC.

A Brief SC History

1965	The Seikatsu Club formed, collective purchase of milk begins
1968	The Seikatsu Club Co-operative Established. Pre-ordering collective purchase in "han" (small groups) begins
1972	Development of the first consumer material, miso (soybean paste) according to SC independent standards
1978	Political "Group Seikatsusha" (now Seikatsusha Network) formed in Tokyo
1981	Co-operative Soap Movement Liaison Group set up
1982	5 representatives sent to participate in Second UN Special Session on Disarmament Workers collective "Ninjin" established
1983	"Memo on the Promotion of Inter-Co-operative Partnership" exchanged with National Credit Union Federation of Korean(NACUFOK)
1986	SC Mutual Assistance System "Ecolo Mutual Assistance" founded
1989	Honorary recipient of the Right Livelihood Award, the alternative Nobel Prize
1990	Establishment of the Seikatsu Club Consumers' Co-operative Union Holding of symposium on "Creating the 21st Century with the People of Asia" commemorating the 1st Anniversary of receipt of RLA
1993	"Food Specialist Co-operative" policy initiated by SC to work towards the improvement of Japan's food self-sufficiency Glass container reuse Green System begins
1997	Principle of non-use of GM crops and food affirmed Independent Control and Auditing System begins
1999	Monitoring movement to eliminate dioxin pollution begins Use of super-light milk bottle (winner of Ecolife Lake Biwa Award) begins Countermeasures to packaging environmental hormones gets underway Three-way sister partnership with the Women Link of the Republic of Korea and the Homemakers' Union and Foundation (HUF) of Taiwan signed
2000	Implementation of unified campaign activities "Stop!! GMO Declaration" including a full-page newspaper opinion advertisement aimed at the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived from Biotechnology (BT Task Force), which formulates international standards on GM food "Petition to the National Assembly Demanding Restrictions on GM Crops and Food" adopted by the 150th National Assembly Dr. Ian MacPherson invited to the International Symposium in Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Laidlaw Report "Stop! GM Rice Co-operative Network" formed
2001	Representatives sent to the International Co-operative Alliance General Assembly Survey of GM Food Labeling and demand for the improvement of food labeling submitted to the minister of agriculture, and the minister of health and welfare "Declaration Opposing All Forms of Terror and Demanding an Immediate Cessation of Military Action," submitted to both the Japanese and American governments Fund-raising campaign activities for "Afghan Life Fund," Invitation of Maria Mies to the "Stop! GMO Assembly" to work towards resolution of the GMO and BSE problems Direct business of"CO･OP general mutual aid"authorized
2001	Distribution of Demands to the member countries of the Codex BT Task Force "Stop! GM Rice Co-operative Network" dispatched the EU investigating group. "Asia BMW Technology exchanges(in Korea)"participated "ICA Asia Pacific region women forum"participated "Our opinions about The Basic Law for food security method plan main point plan"submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat Food Safety Commission
2003	Secretariat Food Safety Commission The computer order system expanded to the all. "The fourth Middle plan development project"installed "Container packing recycling law revision whole country network" founded
2004	"Petition to the Canada and USA objecting GM wheat cultivation" submitted 5 Seikatsu Club Co-operatives in Kanagawa prefecture jointed to Seikatsu Club　Co-operative Union. "Stop! GM communication meeting" installed "Seikatsu Club anti-issue of GM food measure meeting " started officially. "ICA Asia cooperative study meeting " participated
2005	The donation to the victims, by the earthquake and tsunami at the offing of Sumatra Carried out "Seikatsu Club Appeal to Kyoto Protocol effect" announced Seikatsu Club Fukushima jointed to Seikatsu Club Co-operative Union. The Forth SCCU Collective Purchasing System Mid-Term Plan(2005-2009) settled The new delivery center construction site in Hanno city ,Saitama prefecture acquired Our dissent to reopening import of US beaf expressed RLA(Right Livelihood Award) The 25th anniversary meeting participated

Note: GMO means genetically modified organism. The letters GMO have been used throughout this introduction to avoid confusion with similar terms, e.g. GM, GE, and so on.