Terms & Conditions (PIH)

1. About the terms and conditions

When we say “we”, “us” and “our” or “Co-op”, we mean the Co-operative Group Foundation and, where the context requires, our subsidiaries from time to time. When we say “you” and “your”, we mean the person whose name is aligned with the PIN.

When you use your Co-op Membership PIN you accept these terms and conditions.

As we are a co-operative, you need to read these Terms and Conditions alongside our Rules and Regulations. When we refer to our “Rules” we mean the Rules of the Co-op (which may change from time to time) and when we say “Regulations” we mean the Purchases & Service Regulations of the Co-op (which may change from time to time) and any other relevant regulations referred to in the Rules.

Where there’s a conflict or discrepancy between these terms and conditions and our Rules and Regulations, our Rules and Regulations come first.

There are some words that we’ve capitalized in these terms and conditions. This is because they have a particular meaning which is set out in our Rules. This includes Qualifying Purchases & Services which are purchases & Services that earn points (that count towards your SGP & ICV) and other rights as set out in the Rules.

These terms and conditions together with the Rules and Regulations set out the rights you have as a Member under our Rules and the additional benefits you’re entitled to under these terms and conditions. When we talk about these rights and benefits in this document, we refer to it as the “Concept”.

2. How to become a Member

Anyone who shares our Values and Principles and wants to invest with us is welcome to join.

To become a:

01. Founding member in the Co- Op, the annual fee is based on the Package you choose.

02. Member, this will vary based on the type of membership you desire.

You can apply to become a Member:

Online: by visiting – https://wattzzpublishing.com/register-with-partners-in-hand/

When you apply to become a Member we’ll ask you for some personal details – including your full name, date of birth, home address, email address and how you’d like us to stay in touch. We’ll also ask you to set up a secure password for your online Membership account to help protect you against fraud.

We will never ask you for your password.

We’ll use your email address to contact you for service matters regarding your Membership and for marketing, if you’ve given us permission.

We’ll keep all your personal details confidential.

Once you’ve registered, you can start to benefit from being a Co-op Member. Depending on which business you’re trading with you may get something for you and/or something for your community.

If you’re younger than 18 you can only become a Member if your parent or guardian applies for you. You’ll then become a junior Member, which means you’ll be able to get the benefits under these terms and conditions and build up points (and receive a share of our profits, if there are any). But you won’t be able to have a say in how our business is run (for example, voting at Co-op general meetings) or stand for election until you turn 18 (as set out in our Rules). You can get involved and provide feedback and/or participate in opportunities that can help shape our products and services.

3. Membership PIN

Once you’ve registered as a Member we’ll send you a PIN code. You can only have one Membership account at a time. This PIN proves that you’re a Member – so we may ask for it when you do things like attend Co-op general meetings.

Your Membership PIN and any rewards you’ve built up on it, belong to us. We have the right to take them back, if violated or change these terms and conditions at any time.

Your Membership PIN.

isn’t a credit card, cheque guarantee code, debit card or savings account code
can only be used by you, for you
can’t be used by a club, charity, trust, sole trader, partnership, company or any other kind of organization or business

You can’t give or transfer your rights or duties as a Member to anyone else (for example, you can’t give your PIN to someone to earn your reward, benefit from exclusive member prices or get points).

You’re responsible for keeping your PIN code safe. If you lose it or someone steals it and uses it, we’re not responsible for any losses or damages that happen as a result.

4. Temporary PIN code

If you’re not already a Member you can request a temporary code at any of our Businesses as long as you:

agree to these terms and conditions
share our Values and Principles (you can find these in our Rules)

Your temporary PIN costs the value of the group you request. You’ll need your temporary code number to keep the rewards you have earned when you apply to be a member. If and when you register as a Member with your temporary PIN the amount you paid for the temporary PIN will be used to pay for your contribution in the Co-op. If you decide not to apply to be a Member you cannot get your deposit back.

You need to register to be a Member within 6 weeks of the first use of your temporary PIN or your temporary code will expire. Please note that if you don’t register your temporary PIN within 6 weeks of when you first used it, we will cancel it and you will lose any rewards or rights that you’ve earned on it.

You can only have one temporary code at a time. If your PIN is lost or stolen or cancelled, you won’t get back any of the rewards or other rights you earned on the missing PIN or the amount you paid for it. If your PIN expires or is cancelled, we will use any rewards towards the administration costs of the Membership.

We may cancel your temporary PIN at any time if you:

haven’t registered your PIN within 6 weeks of when you first used it
are in breach of these terms and conditions
have behaved in a way that is detrimental to the Co-op.

If you have a temporary PIN you’ll start earning rewards when you make eligible purchases and use your temporary code. You’ll also start building up points if you make Qualifying Purchases. But you won’t be able to spend or give your benefit from exclusive member prices or offers or be entitled to other Membership rights until you’ve registered as a Member.

Once you’ve registered as a Member we’ll send you a new Membership PIN with the same number as your temporary card.

5. How to manage your account and change your details

You can manage your Membership account online at: https://wattzzpublishing.com/my-account/

If someone uses your password or personal details to access your Membership account because you haven’t kept them safe, we’re not responsible for anything that happens as a result.

You can access your Membership account, change your name or address or check your rewards and/or other rights you’ve built up and change your preferences:

online at https://wattzzpublishing.com/my-account/

If you’ve changed your details, you’ll need to give us your Membership PIN or your name so we can find your account. We’ll need to check your identity by asking you for some personal information. In some cases we may also ask you for proof of your new name or address.

6. Membership rewards

Something for you and something for your community

How you benefit from being a Co-op Member depends on which of our membership options you choose.

When we use the words “eligible purchases”, we mean that when you buy certain products and services from us you’ll get something for you and/or something for your community. It depends on which of our businesses you’re buying from. We explain this below.

When we use the words “local cause”, we mean a St. Maarten registered charity (or other organization) which benefits a community and is looking to raise money to deliver a project in line with the criteria of our Local Community Fund.

When we use the words “cause” we mean either a local cause, The Co-Op Foundation or such other St. Maarten registered charity as we decide from time to time.

We use the word “community” to talk about the areas we set around one or more of our Businesses or Services. When we talk about “your community” in this document, this can mean either the local cause(s) in a community where you live or a cause that you’ve chosen when you log in to your Membership account.

We can change the percentages you get back (your 5% and 10%) or our exclusive member prices or offers at any time.

For Co-op Food Services

When you make eligible purchases:

we’ll put a percentage of what you spend into your Membership account. You can spend this the next time you buy from us or save it up to spend whenever you want.

To make sure your rewards go into your Membership account you must present your Membership PIN whenever you make eligible purchases.

For Co-op Legal or Administrative Services

When you make eligible purchases (and present your Membership PIN (and not a temporary card) when you use a service:

you’ll benefit from exclusive member prices as an upfront discount will be applied to the price
we’ll also give a percentage of what you spend with us to your community

For Co-op Insurance

We will secure the best exclusive member prices on Group packages for Health coverage.

You won’t earn rewards and you won’t accumulate any Savings.

What you need to know about rewards

We may change these rewards and participating businesses from time to time.

When we’re working out how much to add to your account we use the total value of all your eligible transactions minus any other discounts (including any discounts you get as a Member and/or when you redeem your reward.

Your rewards have no cash value and you can’t swap them for money.

If you stop being a Member for any reason we will:

cancel any rewards you’ve earned
if you have chosen a cause, share out any rewards you’ve earned to your chosen charity
if you haven’t chosen a cause, share out any rewards you’ve earned for your community equally between all the local causes in your community and our charity, the Co-op Foundation. If there are no local causes in your community then we’ll give your rewards to the Co-op Foundation or another St. Maarten registered charity as we decide from time to time

How long it takes us to add your rewards to your Membership account after an eligible purchase depends on what it is and where you bought it.

If you pay for an eligible purchase in monthly installments we’ll add your rewards to your Membership account in monthly installments also.

When we use the words “discretionary rewards”, we mean additional rewards, exclusive member prices and points or other benefits which may be awarded from time to time on purchases, for membership participation or other activities.

You may also be able to earn discretionary rewards from us or Co-op partners for taking part in certain activities and events that we run from time to time. “Co-op partners” means other businesses and organizations where you can earn points with us.

We’ll tell you about these as and when they happen.

If you earn any discretionary rewards from Co-op businesses, they will be paid in accordance with the timescales for that Co-op business.

Any discretionary rewards you get from Co-op partners are paid for by them. If their business fails we don’t have to cover any unpaid rewards they owe. Discretionary rewards you get from Co-op partners don’t count towards a share of our profits or as Qualifying Purchases.

You can’t earn your benefit from exclusive member prices or offers at independent co-operatives.

7. Where you can spend your Benefits

To spend your benefits you must present your Membership PIN when you pay (depending on which Co-op business you’re buying from).

You can spend some or all of your benefits in any of these Co-op businesses

Co-op Food
Co-op Legal & Administrative Services

We may change participating Co-op businesses from time to time.

If you don’t buy anything from any of our businesses and use your Membership card for 12 months or more we may expire any reward you’ve earned in your Membership account. You’ll start to earn your rewards back as soon as you use your Membership card again. Your percentage will still go to a cause, and any points (for a share in our profits) remain unchanged.

You can’t spend your rewards at independent co-operatives.

8. An option to allocate your rewards to a good cause

We have decided to establish a way in which members can decide that they would like their X% Reward to be spent on good causes and support people’s needs which have arisen or become particularly challenging as a result of Crisis situations.

We have set up the Co-op Members’ “Crisis Fund”.

Initially the Fund will be supporting food banks and those who suffer losses through a Crisis and who may not be able to afford immediate repairs or food purchases.

Co-op is uniquely placed to support these causes through its food and other relevant businesses.

You will be able to allocate your X% Reward available on your membership account at that time to the Co-op Members’ Crisis Fund. If you decide to do this, you can’t change your mind later.

By allocating your X% Reward in this way does not mean that your Rewards on later purchases are committed to the Co-op Members’ Crisis Fund. They will build up in the usual way.

The Co-op will use the Co-op Members’ Crisis Fund in supporting food bank initiatives and supporting supporting persons who need that extra bit of help in affording repairs and other good causes to support those impacted by any Crisis. We’ll report regularly how the Fund’s money is spent.

On an ongoing basis we will be looking to further develop ideas for those members who may wish to continue allocating some or all of their rewards to good causes.

9. How to choose a cause to give your X% to

You can choose where your X% will go from a number of local causes. The local cause may be in your community or located in another community. You can also choose our charity, the Co-op Foundation, to benefit from your X% or another St. Maarten registered charity as we decide from time to time.

When we first register you as a Member we’ll automatically assign you to a community.

When you log on to your Membership account, you’ll see a list of causes you can choose from, if available.

You can choose which cause you want your X% to go to:

online: https://wattzzpublishing.com/shop/
by phone: 1721 – 524-4733

You can only choose one cause at a time.

You can change which cause you want your X% to go to at any point in time. The X% that you have built up at the time of changing your cause will still go to the previous cause. Going forward, your X% will go to the new cause you’ve chosen.

By the end of the giving period we pay (or arrange for a third party to pay) all of the X% rewards that our Members have given to each cause during that time. A giving period is currently a period of twelve months, but we may change the length of any giving period if so required.

At the end of each giving period we’ll let you know what new causes you can choose to give your X% to.

If you don’t choose a cause by the end of the giving period or stop being a Member for any reason and you haven’t chosen a cause, we’ll share your X% out equally between all the local causes in your community and our charity, the Co-op Foundation. If there aren’t any local causes in your community then we’ll give all your X% to the Co-op Foundation or another St. Maarten registered charity as we decide from time to time.

If your cause stops being involved in the scheme for any reason (for example, if it ceases trading) before being paid, it won’t receive any of your X% for that giving period. You can choose a different cause during the giving period. If you haven’t chosen another cause before the giving period ends, then we’ll share your X% out equally between the remaining local causes in your community and our charity, the Co-op Foundation.

10. How to earn points (for a share of our profits) and have a say in how we run our business

Please note that this section doesn’t apply to your benefits and rewards but your points.

As a Co-op Member you’re entitled to a range of rights under our Rules in addition to the rewards and exclusive member prices that you’re entitled to under these terms and conditions.

In order to qualify for certain constitutional rights (including the right to attend our general meetings and vote) you need to make Qualifying Purchases.

To make sure your Qualifying Purchases are registered in your Membership account you must either present your Membership card or temporary card or give us your Membership number whenever you make purchases from the relevant Co-op businesses.

When you present your Membership PIN or give us your Membership number you will also earn points. In some cases your points count as Qualifying Purchases. Points don’t have any cash value and you can’t cash them in.

Notwithstanding any other provision in this document (including the Appendices), if at any point during the Financial Year, it’s no longer possible (or becomes impractical) to calculate your points, then we can make such adjustments to the basis for determining points as we think appropriate.

At the end of each Financial Year your points go back to zero and you start building up points for the next Financial Year. Our Financial Year ends on December each year.

When there are Profits Available for Distribution we may decide to pay a dividend (share of profit) to Members in line with our Rules. Dividends awarded are calculated based on the points you have earned in line with the Regulations. The number of points you have determines how big your dividend payment will be (if there is one). You will only receive a dividend if you are a registered Member.

If you live outside of St. Maarten you can still make Qualifying Purchases.

11. Co-op partners

You can not earn points (for a share in our profits) on purchases from Co-op partners.

12. What happens if you spend with independent co-operative societies

You won’t earn your rewards or get exclusive member prices and you can’t spend your rewards earned with us at any independent co-operative societies.

Any points you get from independent co-operative societies don’t count towards a share of our profits or other rights.

13. How to receive a share of our profits (dividend)

If you’re due a dividend we can pay it directly into your bank account as long as you give us your bank details.
If you stop being a Member for any reason before receiving your dividend you won’t get it.

If you ticked the box on the Membership application form to donate any dividend (share of profits) to a charitable cause we’ll do this and keep on doing it until you tell us otherwise.

You don’t have to pay income tax on payments we make to you through the scheme. If you complete a self-assessment tax return you don’t need to enter any payments we make to you through the scheme.

If your dividend works out to be less than __ we’ll store up the balance in your Membership account until the next time you’re due a dividend. We won’t pay it out until it’s worth at least __ (or such other amount as we decide from time to time).

We don’t have to accept that anyone apart from you has any right or interest in your dividend.

14. Forgotten or stolen cards, cancelling Membership, and other information

Registering points and rewards for things you’ve already bought

If you don’t have your Membership PIN with you when you buy, you can still get your points and rewards if you register your purchases with us within a certain number of days.

You need to request a “forgotten PIN receipt” before you pay (you won’t be able to claim your points or rewards without it).

Lost or stolen cards

If you forget, lost or card was stolen and your Membership PIN compromised you must tell us right away. This section doesn’t apply to temporary PINS.

You can do this online by e-mail or by phone.

Cancelling your Membership

You can cancel your Membership at any time by telling us. We can also remove or expel you from Membership as set out in our Rules.

Changes to terms and conditions

We’ve the right to change these terms and conditions by giving you reasonable notice – for legal, regulatory, business or policy reasons. If you continue to use your Membership PIN after any change, this will be an acceptance of these new terms and conditions.

Your rights

The constitutional rights you have as a Member are governed by our Rules and Regulations which can be amended in accordance with our governance arrangements.

Co-op Legal or Administrative Services and your personal information

Co-op Legal or Administrative Services need to tell us that you’ve become a client of Co-op Legal Services and the service you have bought so you can get your points or discretionary rewards as set out in this document.

This information would normally be treated as confidential. You’ll be asked if you’re happy for this to be passed to Co-op when you buy a legal or administrative service from a Co-op Legal & Administrative Services that is part of this scheme.

If you aren’t happy for this information to be shared at the time that you buy one of the services then you need to let the Co-op Legal & Administrative Services know and they won’t tell us that you’re a client. If this is the case you won’t receive points or any discretionary rewards. This is a regulatory condition which Co-op Legal & Administrative Services must comply with.

Law and where disputes would be settled

These terms and conditions (and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them) are governed by the Laws of Country St. Maarten.

The Courts of First Instance St. Maarten, have non-exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute arising out of or in connection with these terms and conditions (including disputes around any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with these terms and conditions).

Appendix 1

Eligible purchases: Something for you and something for your community

Take a look at sections 06 & 09 of this document that explain member rewards.

What you will and won’t earn rewards on in our businesses.

Co-op Food (includes franchised stores & farms that we agree)

You will earn rewards and points on:

Co-op branded and/or approved products and services

You won’t earn rewards and points on:

non-Co-op branded or approved products and services

Co-op Legal & Administrative Services

You will earn rewards and points on:

Co-op associated Legal and Administrative services

You won’t earn rewards and points on:

None Co-op associated Legal and Administrative services

Co-op Insurance

You will benefit from exclusive member prices and get points for your community on:

For Group Medical Insurance

Exclusive member prices and rewards don’t apply to:

any other Insurance Coverages.

How long it takes for your rewards and points to show up in your account

Co-op Food

Rewards – Normally straightaway.

Points – Normally within 24 hours.

Co-op Legal & Administrative Services

Within 15 days of the date of purchase.

Co-op Medical Insurance

Not applicable.

What you can and can’t spend your rewards on

Co-op Legal & Administrative Services

You can spend your rewards on:

Only services as agreed to at initiation of Services.

Appendix 2

Qualifying Purchases: Points

Take a look at sections 10 and 14 of this document that summarize your membership rights under our Rules.

What you will and won’t earn points on:

Co-op Food

You won’t earn points on:

Any food and products, not manufactured and or sold by our associated Cooperatives and members

Industry regulatory disclosure requirements

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