On February 8, 2017, Kanagawa Prefecture Consumers Co-operative Union organized a workshop for Auditors involved in Co-op business in the prefecture under two themes:

1. 1. The results of guidance inspection for consumer co-ops in 2015
2. 2. The points in annual series of auditing by auditors

It was attended by representatives from the Consumer Division of the Kanagawa Prefectural Government, JCCU and 49 co-op staff from 21 consumer co-ops of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Co-op is a voluntary mutual aid organization of citizens for the cultural and economic improvement of the lives of the members. Under this principle Japanese Consumer Co-ops have actively demonstrated social roles in business and activities under the current Co-op law in Japan in which a fundamental amendment took place in 2007 for the first time in 59 years, as a result of consumer livelihoods and changes in society.

There is a great expectation upon Co-op by members and the local government to consider with a sincere attention to the issues of the local community and to reflect that intention in the plan of the business and activities of the co-op and steadily promote it.

As a result, the roles and responsibilities of the auditors are growing significantly.

The Auditing workshops are aimed at strengthening the governance that enables efficient and healthy cooperative management within the organization by tightening the checking function of the auditor, which is an auditing body, to the Board of Executive Officers.

Every year the Kanagawa Prefectural Consumers’ Co-operative holds the workshop sending invitation to auditors and stakeholders outside the prefecture.