Mondragon Corporation
The Mondragon Group (often called Mondragon Corporation or Corporación Mondragón) is a famous and influential federation of worker cooperatives based in the Basque region of Spain. 
Here’s an overview of what it is, how it works, and its strengths and challenges:
What is Mondragon?
It was founded in 1956 by José María Arizmendiarrieta and a group of students/colleagues in the town of Mondragón (Arrasate), Basque Country, Spain. 
It is structured as a federation of worker cooperatives rather than a conventional corporate group. 
Its mission and identity emphasize cooperation, democratic governance, education, social responsibility, and solidarity among its member cooperatives. 
Structure & Sectors
Mondragon’s operations span multiple sectors. The group is typically divided into four main domains:
1. Industry — manufacturing, machinery, automation, capital goods, and related industrial fields. 
2. Retail / Distribution — e.g. Eroski (a large consumer retail cooperative) is part of Mondragon. 
3. Finance / Financial Services — cooperatives in banking, insurance, and social welfare bodies (e.g. Laboral Kutxa, Seguros Lagun Aro) 
4. Knowledge / Education / Research — Mondragon runs its own university (Mondragon Unibertsitatea), technology and innovation centers, and training/education programs. 
One of its subsidiaries is Mondragon Assembly, which works in automation and assembly-equipment, and emphasizes that its objective is “not to produce rich people, but to produce rich societies.” 
Governance & Cooperative Principles
The cooperatives inside Mondragon are worker-owned: members (workers) have voting rights and share in decision-making. 
Mondragon applies a wage ratio limit so that executives or managers cannot earn vastly more than the lowest-paid worker.
The ratios are typically between 3:1 and 9:1, with an average around 5:1 in many cooperatives. 
It maintains solidarity and intercooperation: successful cooperatives are expected to support weaker ones via common funds or shared resources. 
Admission to a cooperative is open (in principle) and democratic organization is emphasized. 
Impact, Scale & Financials
Mondragon is often cited as the largest industrial worker cooperative in the world. 
In recent years, its workforce has been around 70,000 people (distributed between the Basque region, the rest of Spain, and abroad). 
Its consolidated sales/turnover have been in the billions of euros. For example, in 2024, it reported ~€11,200 million in sales. 
Mondragon has a global presence, with subsidiaries and production units outside Spain. 
Challenges & Critiques
Some critics point out that overseas operations sometimes depart from the cooperative model (e.g. adopting more hierarchical or investor-driven structures). 
A few major cooperatives (Orona and ULMA) voted to leave the Mondragon federation in 2022, reducing its membership and raising questions about cohesion and autonomy. 
Balancing profitability, competitiveness, and cooperative ideals can create tensions—especially when market pressures or external competition are strong. 
If you like, I can go deeper into particular aspects (e.g. how Mondragon handles international operations, governance structures, how replicable the model is) — do you want me to focus on one?
#Mondragon_Assembly
