Credit unions also differ from the traditional consumer cooperatives. All the members of the credit union, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religious and political beliefs, as well as the size of the monetary share have equal rights. Credit unions of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). In some cases, the initiators of credit unions can be trade unions, associations such as social support centers and others.