of purchases and shares earned. In 2020 the 5.7 million members had a paid-up capital of $192 million, well above the $5 initiation fee per member. This capital was reinvested in things like stock of merchandise and expansion of the retail empire. Purposes and objectives The purposes of the Co-op were from the outset closely intertwined with its governance model. In 2008, the commonweal of the Co-op was measured by Ponto according to Anielski's Genuine Wealth model, while in 2011 Strashok produced a case study that focused on its promotion of sustainable development. The governance model was altered significantly from 2011, to change MEC's focus to a more traditional accounting and retail-based business model. Environmental and social initiatives MEC had undertaken initiatives in the field of social and environmental responsibility, including: MEC was the first Canadian retailer to publicly disclose its list of factories and their locations, and updates this list annually. In May 2007 MEC became a member. MEC committed to the goal of sourcing 100% Bluesign approved fabrics by 2020. In 2019, 88% of MEC apparel and sleeping bag materials were Bluesign certified. Bluesign is a third party environmental, health and safety standard for the textiles industry. MEC committed to using 100% organic cotton for all MEC-branded apparel and sets yearly targets to increase its offering of products made from recycled materials. MEC promotes a variety of outdoor education opportunities to its members by an online calendar of events. In December 2007, MEC became the first retailer in Canada to stop selling water bottles and food containers containing bisphenol A, a chemical that is used to make some plastics and has been linked in some studies to increased incidence of cancer and other diseases. In 2008, MEC eliminated all single-use shopping bags from its stores. In 2010 MEC launched a new green building initiative called MEC GBS (Green Building Systems). The aim of the initiative was to ensure MEC leaders in building and operating environmentally-friendly facilities. Its Winnipeg, Longueuil, Burlington and North Vancouver stores, as well as its Montreal office received LEED Gold ratings. Its Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa stores also comply with C2000 standards (Natural Resources Canada's Advanced Commercial Buildings Program). In March 2018, MEC announced that it would no longer stock products made by Vista Outdoor, in response to the 2018 NRA boycott, in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, because some of