What is Commown?
THE COOPERATIVE OF SOBER AND ENGAGED ELECTRONICS – MUTUALIZE TO MAKE LAST! Commown is a unique initiative focused on rethinking the life cycle of electronic products by promoting repairable and durable devices. Developed as a cooperative, its mission centers around responsible digital consumption. It offers a refreshing alternative to traditional sales models, favoring a rental model without the option of purchase. This philosophy ensures that the devices continue to be useful over multiple rental cycles… keeping their lifespan as long as possible while reducing the hidden costs often associated with electronics.
Main Benefits
Key figures and facts that highlight the core benefits include:
- Eco-design and rental without purchase option to maximize device longevity.
- Transparent operations and radical cooperative governance via its SCIC status.
- Commitment to ethics by minimizing negative social and environmental impacts.
- Participation of more than 1250 commowners who actively support the cooperative.
- A low consumption website that features pages weighing 12 times less than the average site.
Responsible Digital Transformation
State of play of electronics today: mines controlled by militias, child exploitation in assembly units, deplorable working conditions, astronomical carbon footprint, illegal trafficking of electronic waste, and nearly impossible recycling of certain metals constitutive of devices… This incomplete list illustrates the “hidden costs” throughout the life cycle of typical electronic products. Through its rental model, Commown nudges the industry toward sustainable choices that help preserve resources and human dignity. The approach is simple: extend the life of products and eliminate planned obsolescence, ensuring that each device remains in service as long as possible.
Cooperative and Sustainable Governance
Transparency & radicality are at the heart of Commown’s philosophy. The choice of forming a Cooperative Society of Collective Interest (SCIC) drastically limits the power and remuneration of capital, setting the framework for a more ethical operation. With this status, any customer of Commown can actively participate in the cooperative’s governance. There is an emphasis on values such as sobriety, ecology, and ethics… not because status speaks for virtue, but because it provides the necessary framework for a radical change in how electronics are handled and managed.
The Commown Ecosystem and Offers
Discover all the products available: FAIRPHONE, COMPUTERS, AUDIO, and CONSUM’ACTION. The cooperative is not just about providing devices; it’s about creating a robust ecosystem that includes cooperatives like TeleCoop, Alternatives Économiques, Citiz, Enercoop, Ateliers du Bocage, Windcoop, among others. Producers such as Fairphone, why! Open Computing, PC Vert, and Odiss are key partners, and with over 1250 dedicated commowners backing the project, a strong communal network has been built. For businesses, tailored rental formulas guarantee a high level of service along with Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility, making the offers accessible and appealing to various sectors.
Project Impact in SDGs
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – promoting fair working conditions and sustainable economic practices.
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – fostering innovation with eco-designed products.
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – encouraging resource efficiency and extended product lifespan.
- SDG 13: Climate Action – reducing the carbon footprint and fighting electronic waste issues.
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – building a network of cooperatives, producers, and responsible stakeholders across the board.
Embracing a Radical Change in the Economy
The journey of Commown is a leap toward a radical change in the economy through inter-cooperation. By challenging conventional consumption models, it paves the way for a future where electronics are not simply sold and discarded, but rather continuously reused and maintained. The conscious choice of a rental model, without any purchase option, reinforces a long-term commitment to service and sustainability that goes far beyond the usual capitalist paradigm. This cooperative not only builds a strong network among partners like Mobicoop, Legicoop, Label Emmaüs, and many others, but it also actively addresses issues like the astronomical carbon footprint and the deplorable working conditions associated with traditional electronics. The approach is both refreshing and daring…
Commown remains undeniably committed to ensuring that every electronic device is given an extended life and that every stakeholder, from individuals to partners, has a role to play in the ecosystem of responsible electronics. With its innovative structure, the cooperative turns each rental cycle into an opportunity to challenge the hidden costs of modern electronic devices, promoting a future that values transparency, ethics, and sustainability above all else.
