Some primary co-operatives, for good business reasons, permit legal entities (corporate persons) to become members and to contribute to a co-operative's capital. These multi-stakeholder co-operatives may make provision for membership to be divided into different categories contributing different amounts of capital to the co-operative through their membership shares.

The legal entities likely to contribute to co-operatives' capital by purchasing shares are other co-operatives, mutuals, or other economic actors, such as national, regional or local public authorities. Where a co-operative's rules or constitution permits the admission of legal entities as members there are strong reasons for encouraging other co-operative or mutual enterprises to become members.