The Ecological Land Cooperative

Who we are

The Ecological Land Cooperative (ELC) is a social enterprise based in Bristol. We exist to widen affordable access to land for sustainable land-based uses. We currently manage seven farm sites, supporting 18 low-impact, small farm businesses.

Working as a cooperative, our Community Members play a key role in shaping and developing the organisation. We have four part-time staff who support the core functions of the operations, and our strategic direction is set by a Board of Directors elected at the Cooperative’s AGM. We operate using a sociocratic governance model, with interconnected circles of governance that support the Board and enable collaborative, transparent decision-making across the organisation. The Cooperative currently has 516 members.

We believe ecological land-based livelihoods can help solve some of the most pressing environmental and social problems of our time. Our model combines ecological principles with sound business practice to help more people live and work on the land. Small-scale ecological production delivers multiple benefits: protecting the environment, building vibrant rural communities, supporting employment and training, and enabling access to affordable, healthy, local food.

Beyond this, our vision is of land valued and used to enhance our collective good. In contrast to speculative models of land ownership, our approach champions a collective, ecological, and cooperative alternative.

Our culture and values

Our vision is of a living, working countryside where land is valued in a way that enhances both the local community and the natural world. We also want to support new entrants into agriculture by making access to land a reality for all – not just the few.

We want to see low-impact, land based livelihoods flourish. We believe that land should be stewarded in a way that produces healthy and ecologically sound food and land-based products  – now, and into the future.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

At the Ecological Land Cooperative, we recognise that access to land, finance, and rural opportunity has not been equitable. Structural inequality shapes who feel welcome, who has access to capital, and who is able to build a livelihood on the land.

We are committed to building a cooperative that actively challenges this imbalance.

We warmly welcome applications from people who are underrepresented in land-based work, including people from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQIA+ people, people from working-class backgrounds, and those who have experienced barriers to accessing land or professional roles.

We recognise that confidence and opportunity are not distributed equally. If you meet most, but not all, of the criteria, we strongly encourage you to apply. We value lived experience, transferable skills, and different ways of knowing alongside formal qualifications.

We are committed to:

·       Fair and transparent pay (we operate a flat pay structure)

·       Flexible working arrangements

·       Making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and in the workplace

·       Creating governance spaces that are collaborative, respectful, and inclusive

If you would like this information in a different format, or wish to discuss access needs at any stage, please get in touch.

We believe that a more diverse cooperative will make us wiser, more creative, and more resilient - and better able to steward land for the collective good.