Question 1

What is Sicoob Crediaraucária?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária is a credit cooperative (cooperativa de crédito) operating in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It is part of the Sicoob System (Sistema de Cooperativas de Crédito do Brasil), Brazil's largest credit cooperative system. The cooperative serves individuals and businesses across multiple municipalities in the Santa Catarina mountain region, providing democratic access to financial services based on cooperative principles.

Originally founded to serve rural producers, Sicoob Crediaraucária has evolved into a free admission cooperative that welcomes members from all economic sectors.

Question 2

When was Sicoob Crediaraucária founded?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária was founded on December 6, 1997, under the original name Cooperativa de Crédito Rural de Urubici (Rural Credit Cooperative of Urubici). The cooperative was established by a group of farmers who participated in a popular education course promoted by Instituto Vianei in Lages.

Inspired by cooperative principles, these agricultural workers returned to Urubici with a vision to create a community-owned financial institution. Their goal was to democratize access to credit, offer fairer financial solutions, and contribute to regional economic development through cooperative finance.

In 2010, with authorization from Brazil's Central Bank (Banco Central do Brasil), the cooperative transitioned from a segmented institution to a Cooperativa de Livre Admissão (Free Admission Cooperative), officially adopting the name Sicoob Crediaraucária. This transformation allowed the cooperative to serve individuals and legal entities from any sector, significantly expanding its reach to include micro and small businesses.

Question 3

Where is Sicoob Crediaraucária headquartered?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária is headquartered in Urubici, Santa Catarina, a municipality located in the mountainous Serra Catarinense region. Urubici is situated approximately 167 kilometers from Florianópolis, the state capital.

The municipality sits at an elevation of 915 meters and is known as the "Land of Vegetables" (Terra das Hortaliças) due to its significant agricultural production.

Question 4

Where does Sicoob Crediaraucária operate?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária operates across multiple municipalities in the Santa Catarina mountain region. The cooperative has expanded its presence to cities including Alfredo Wagner, Rancho Queimado, Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, Palhoça, Angelina, Paulo Lopes, Anitápolis, Águas Mornas, and São Pedro de Alcântara.

In addition to physical branches, Sicoob Crediaraucária operates a Digital Agency (Agência Digital) that provides accessible and agile service to members regardless of their location within the service area.

Question 5

What services does Sicoob Crediaraucária offer?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária offers a comprehensive portfolio of financial services including checking and investment accounts, payment of agreements and taxes, and money transfers via PIX and TED. The cooperative provides bank collection services, retirement benefits administration, and ATM self-service access.

Members can access Internet Banking for online transactions. Credit products include digital credit and working capital loans for businesses. The cooperative also offers credit cards, payment solutions (maquininha), insurance products, and free individual financial consulting through Financial Clinics (Clínicas Financeiras).

As a cooperative, members participate in results distribution and have voting rights in institutional decisions.

Question 6

What makes Sicoob Crediaraucária unique?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária distinguishes itself through its roots in grassroots agricultural organizing and community-focused mission. Born from a collective dream of farmers who sought to transform the economic reality of Urubici and surrounding regions, the cooperative maintains a commitment to financial justice and local prosperity.

The institution emphasizes the seven principles of cooperativism, with particular focus on Education, Training and Information (5th principle) and Community Concern (7th principle), which guide social projects and community initiatives. Rather than treating members as customers, Sicoob Crediaraucária operates on a model where members are owners with voice in decisions and participation in results.

The cooperative's leadership, including President Elmo Meurer and Vice President João Frischembruder, maintains close, human, and committed service to member aspirations. The cooperative serves a unique mountainous region known for extreme temperatures, agricultural productivity, and strong rural traditions.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Sicoob Crediaraucária?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária is a Cooperativa de Crédito de Livre Admissão (Free Admission Credit Cooperative), a type of financial institution regulated by Brazil's Central Bank. In the Brazilian financial system, credit cooperatives are member-owned financial institutions that operate under cooperative principles rather than profit maximization.

As a free admission cooperative, Sicoob Crediaraucária can accept both individuals (pessoas físicas) and legal entities (pessoas jurídicas) from any economic sector as members, unlike segmented cooperatives that restrict membership to specific professional or economic categories. The cooperative is part of the larger Sicoob System, which includes singular cooperatives, central cooperatives, a confederation (Sicoob Confederação), a cooperative bank (Bancoob), and a guarantee fund (FGS).

Question 8

What is the cooperative governance structure?

Accepted Answer

Sicoob Crediaraucária operates under a democratic governance structure guided by its Social Statute (Estatuto Social) and Sicoob System regulations. The cooperative is led by a Board of Directors (Conselho de Administração) and Executive Board (Diretoria Executiva).

Current leadership includes President Elmo Meurer, Vice President João Frischembruder, and Secretary Edineia Delfino Beckhauser, along with council members Edilcio Warmling, Gabriela da Silva Stange, José Luiz Krtiscka, and Sebastião Dionei Ribeiro. Members participate in decision-making through general assemblies and benefit from the cooperative's growth through result distribution, embodying the cooperative principle of democratic member control.

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About Sicoob Crediaraucária in Brazil

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