No, but we provide services for our partners similar to what banks should provide: Ability to save and borrow money, ability to pay with secure cards and vouchers, etc. Our legal structure is that of a civil company that serves the interests of its members, and transactions are limited to those among partners only. We are therefore very similar to a member-owned financial cooperative.
Future partners in Shreek should be over 18, fill a Know Your Shreek (KYS) application that we send to you, and provide a copy of your national ID or Passport, in addition to a recommendation by another Shreek partner. There are membership fees of 100,000 LBP paid upon joining, in addition to a minimum participation.
The participations that we receive from partners are used for the procurement on behalf of these partners of specific commodities (like olive oil) or prepaid debit cards. We do not use these participations for any expenses that we incur.
Yes currently the minimum contribution is set at 1,000,000 LBP or 500 US$.
The participations used by the members to purchase olive oil through Shreek are blocked for one year. All other participations are freely accessible.
We only charge a yearly membership fee to cover basic administrative expenses. Members may be charged additional fees for specific services (such as cards issuance, home delivery of documents and payments…), and any official fees required by the government. We ensure all fees are fully transparent and communicated in advance.
Financial support packages are provided only for Shreek partners who present a solid case for a productive business investment or venture. We only provide support for sectors we believe are a priority for societal development and local job creation.
Unlike banks, Shreek partners are all equal and have full participation and oversight over the organization’s operations. Shreek’s members have one vote regardless of the amount of their contributions. They are also represented in the governance structure through participation on elected boards and supervisory membership councils.
Shreek is managed by elected management bodies that have specific functions and duties, all reporting to the partners’ general assembly. Shreek has three central governing bodies: A Directors Committee, an Internal Oversight Committee, and a Partners Admission Committee. It has an independent auditor and a legal counsel. In addition to this, Shreek has core experienced staff lead by Shreek’s directors.
Yes the taxes deducted on profits earned are proportional to the participation, and range from 4% to 12% as per Lebanese Income Tax laws.
Any partner who faces any issue with Shreek’s management can file a formal complaint to the Internal Oversight Committee, who has a mandate to investigate and solve problems internally. If the issue persists the partners have recourse to an external arbitrator.
Partners can exit Shreek by ceding their parts (and their participation contract) to other Shreek partners (if they wish to exit before the participation maturity), provided they have paid back all advances and obligations owed to the organization.