Welcome to Good Market Info! Click the logo to go to the directory and marketplace
Welcome to Good Market Info! Click the logo to go to the directory and marketplace
Commons are shared resources governed by a community according to agreed rules for long-term collective benefit.
Good Market serves as a digital commons for the new economy movement. It includes three types of shared resources:
The community rules were developed to create a clear boundary and protect the Good Market digital commons as a shared not-for-profit resource. They include the Terms of Use, Directory Policy, Marketplace Policy, Communications Policy, Brand and Logo Policy, and Privacy Policy.
Good Market aligns with Elinor Ostrom’s 8 design principles for self-governing and sustaining a commons:
The shared resources and the criteria for participation are clearly defined.
The shared resources are the curation process, digital infrastructure, and localization resources. Full use of the shared resources is limited to social enterprises, cooperatives, responsible businesses, civic organizations, and networks that prioritize people and the planet, meet the minimum standards, go through the curation process, and are recognized as Good Market Approved.
Participants develop rules based on their specific context. The rules for accessing and using the resources align with the rules for maintaining and sustaining them.
Access to information is public, which means anyone can use the directory and marketplace to find enterprises, products, services, and other information. Participation in decision-making and full use of the shared resources are limited to enterprises that meet the minimum standards and are Good Market Approved.
The participants affected by the rules can participate in changing the rules.
The community rules, including the minimum standards and the curation policy, were developed by participants and can be updated and improved by participants.
Systems are in place to ensure transparency and active monitoring of the agreed rules. Monitors are drawn from or accountable to the participants.
Good Market has a crowdsourced monitoring system. All approved enterprises have a public profile page with transparent claims. Customers, workers, suppliers, partners, and community members can flag an enterprise if they have evidence that they are making false claims or not meeting the minimum standards.
The consequences for violating the rules depend on the seriousness and context of the offense. Consequences are determined by the participants or people accountable to the participants.
The review process can result in the flagged enterprise improving their communication, updating their claims, taking corrective action, or losing their status as Good Market Approved and being removed from the directory.
The rules are upheld in a way that is consistent and fair. If issues arise, they are resolved quickly and internally through open communication, mediation, or other low-cost channels, rather than relying on formal, costly, and potentially adversarial legal processes.
Flagging starts a review process. Enterprises are asked to submit additional supporting information or take corrective action. The majority of reviews are straightforward and closed within a week. If an issue arises that is outside the scope of the current community rules, the team puts the issue and a draft proposal to all approved enterprises affected by the issue.
Participants have autonomy. They are able to organize, create their own rules, and conduct their own affairs without the infringement of an outside authority.
Good Market is registered as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, which means there are no private owners, and the community has legal space to operate and self-govern.
For larger systems, activities are coordinated at the appropriate scale through multiple, independent decision-making centers.
Good Market was designed to support local community groups and networks that have emerged around different sectors, issues, and regions. The minimum standards and curation process provide a common baseline. Networks may have additional criteria and a secondary curation process. They use their network page on the digital commons to show the members that meet their standards. This polycentric approach makes it possible to weave together a network of networks across different sectors, issues, and regions.
The community rules, including the minimum standards, the curation process, and the guidelines for the marketplace and community areas of the site were developed and refined by Good Market Approved enterprises.
Good Market has a crowdsourced monitoring system. Anyone can anonymously flag an enterprise, a marketplace listing, or content on the site if there is evidence of a false claim or if it does not meet minimum standards or other community rules. Flagging starts a review process.
The Good Market team plays an administrative role. They ensure the community rules are applied consistently on a day-to-day basis. This includes reviewing applications submitted by enterprises and reviewing enterprises, listings, and content flagged by the public.
If an issue arises that is outside the scope of the current community rules, the team puts the issue and a draft proposal to all approved enterprises affected by the issue.
Good Market Approved enterprises are able to create draft proposals to revise and update the community rules including minimum standards, application questions, and guidelines for the marketplace and community areas of the site.
Draft proposals are shared with all Good Market Approved enterprises that would be affected by the change. Proposals are refined and approved through a consent-based decision-making process that may include online polling, approval voting, and ranked choice voting on a one vote per enterprise basis.
Stewards are responsible for protecting the commons and ensuring that Good Market maintains its vision and values and is financially sustainable, technologically resilient, and legally compliant. Stewards have fiduciary board responsibilities, but they delegate decision-making regarding community rules as explained above.
There are currently 5 stewardship roles:
Curation: Ensures the minimum standards, curation process, and governance systems meet the evolving needs of approved enterprises and the broader movement.
Localization: Ensures local movement building in Sri Lanka continues to thrive. Shares experiences and resources with communities and networks around the world.
Software: Ensures the Good Market software has the architecture, team, and processes for scalability and resilience.
Finance: Ensures Good Market has the financial systems in place for accountability and sustainability.
Legal: Ensures Good Market identifies and addresses legal risks and has the legal space to develop new models while maintaining compliance with current institutional structures.