Members elected to positions of responsibility in a co-operative should broadly reflect the diversity of its membership. If they do not, positive action needs to be taken to encourage men and women from under-represented sections of the membership to stand for election. If there are barriers to certain groups of members standing for election, such as women, appropriate arrangements should be made to overcome the exclusion of disadvantaged sections of the membership from seeking elected office.

Giving new and younger members education and training opportunities is integral to increasing the number and pool of members willing to stand for election. Quota systems may be considered to ensure that elections produce results that represent the diversity of membership, but they are not a panacea and need to be justified and periodically reviewed.