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| COOPERATIVE INSIDER |
| The eDigest of the global cooperative movement |
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| Message from President Ariel Guarco:
2021 is here and the pandemic continues. This virus has reached every corner of this planet. The health, economic and social impact continue to cause a lot of pain around us. That’s why cooperatives continue to put our values and principles into action, highlighting the importance to act in this moment in the history of humanity. We can also be sure that in every corner of the world, there has been cooperation, solidarity and mutual aid. Read more
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| Special feature on COVID-19 |
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| World Cooperative Monitor showcases cooperative answers to COVID-19 |
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The latest edition of the World Cooperative Monitor published on 20 January featured a section highlighting how cooperative enterprises responded to the first months of the COVID-19 crisis. Based on existing data, as well as a members’ survey carried out by the ICA International Cooperative Entrepreneurship Think Tank (ICETT), the section looks at how large cooperatives coped with the pandemic, exploring some of the best practices in different countries. Read more
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| How cooperative values shaped the Midcounties Cooperative’s approach to COVID-19 |
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As a values-led community retailer, The Midcounties Co-operative pandemic response focused on supporting its members, employees and customers - particularly by helping the most vulnerable and those who are most ‘at risk’. With annual gross sales of over £1bn, over 400 trading sites, 8,000 employees and over 700,000 members, the cooperative is a key economic player in its region. Read more
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IFFCO driving food security in times of crisis
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While COVID-19 continues to threaten food security around the world, the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) remains committed to serving its 35,282 cooperatives and their farmer members. Due to the importance of fertilisers in agriculture, all IFFCO plants remained fully operational during the COVID-19 lockdown, while employees at its headquarters in New Delhi switched to working from home. Read more
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Health cooperatives delivered life-saving services during COVID-19
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As public sector healthcare providers around the world struggled to cope with COVID-19, health cooperatives stepped in to support them. Four healthcare professionals working for medical cooperatives in different countries shared their experience. Read more
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| Community-led housing provides higher protection |
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A recent study by UrbaMonde and We Effect highlights the resilience of community-led housing at times of crisis. Released in December 2020, the research shows important benefits for the inhabitants of housing cooperatives, community land trusts and other forms of collective housing compared with irregular housing situations, borrowed or rental housing, and standard individual property. Read more
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| The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified youth challenges |
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Young people have been dramatically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. New global research on young people and cooperatives will be released in March in the framework of the ICA-EU Partnership (#coops4dev). But what are some of the emerging challenges for young people, and how might cooperatives respond to them? Read more
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| Cooperative banks consolidate their financial position |
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Interview with Subrahmanyam Bhima, President of the International Cooperative Banking Association, a sectoral organisation of the ICA, who shares some insights into the sector’s response. Read more
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| Cooperative Responses to COVID-19 - Case studies from Africa |
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Across Africa, cooperatives have been actively mitigating risk and responding effectively to COVID-19. In Kenya, where over 14 million Kenyans are members of savings and credit cooperatives, the movement played a vital role in supplying PPE and providing affordable loans. Read more
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| Canadian cooperative insurer supports local cooperatives response to changing economy |
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Canadian ICMIF member The Co-operators is reinforcing cooperative sector support by making CA$1m in patient capital available through its newly launched Co-op Impact Program. The initiative aims to support small and medium-sized cooperatives as they adapt in a shifting economic landscape in the wake of COVID-19. Read more
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| Cooperatives Europe COVID-19 report continues to guide its advocacy efforts |
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In September 2020 Cooperative Europe published a report how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected co-ops across the continent. Based on a member survey, the report aimed to enable policy-makers at EU and Member State levels to understand the impact of the crisis on European cooperatives. The findings continue to shape Cooperatives Europe’s advocacy work. Read the full report on Cooperatives Europe’s website.
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| In the eye of the COVID-19 storm, using the cooperative way in the new normal |
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| The world is still in the eye of the storm. In December 2021 at the World Cooperative Congress in Seoul, the Republic of Korea, cooperatives will be given the stage to showcase the challenges, opportunities they are facing during the pandemic, and highlight what the future new normal can look like. Read more |
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| World Cooperative Congress to be held in Seoul and online |
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| ICA Director General Bruno Roelants reaffirmed his commitment that ICA will be hosting the 33rd World Cooperative Congress in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 1-3 December 2021. The Congress will be held in person as well as online, featuring an exciting programme of speakers and sessions focused on the theme of deepening the cooperative identity. Read more |
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| Call for Abstracts and Panel Proposals |
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| Within the framework of the 33rd World Cooperative Congress, the ICA invites cooperative researchers, experts and practitioners to make submissions on the themes involving the Cooperative Identity. The ICA Cooperative Research Conference and the 3rd International Forum on Cooperative Law will be precursors for debates on key-themes and sub-themes of the 33rd World Cooperative Congress, building content for discussions based on scientific and analytical contributions. Read more |
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| Cooperative buzz |
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Exploring the Cooperative Economy through the 2020 World Cooperative Monitor. Read more
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GYF21 to take place virtually on 25-26 March. Read more |
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| How cooperative identity reinforces competitiveness - Amul shares its story. Read more |
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| Italy: historic agreement between unions and coops to promote worker buyouts. Read more |
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| 25 voices campaign features young cooperators on the journey to Congress in Seoul. Read more |
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| Fifty lawyers from 30 jurisdictions apply to join the ICA Global cooperative law network. Read more |
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| Youth Replication Project winners are one step further to bringing their projects to life. Read more |
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| CHI releases explainer videos on housing cooperatives. Read more |
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| Call for papers: ICA CCR Europe Research Conference. Read more |
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| OCDC report explores the co-operative difference in Kenya. Read more |
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| Congress #CoopSnapShot photo competition continues. Read more |
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| Mondragon City Challenge launched to support youth cooperative entrepreneurship. Read more |
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| 2021 arrivals: ICA welcomes new member from Sri Lanka in January. Read more |
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Inspire the world: tell us your story!
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Building Synergy in the Community the Cooperative Way
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Simbayanan ni Maria Multi-Purpose Cooperative delivers sustainable economic support to the people of Taguig, making the vision of people empowerment more attainable. Read more
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Getting started with organising online events
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The ICA-EU Partnership on international development (#coops4dev) has prepared the guide “Tips and tricks on how to do online events” to support youth entrepreneurs and the whole cooperative movement in planning digital events. Read more
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| Aroundtheworld.coop interview |
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With the Aroundtheworld.coop trips coming to an end, we talked to filmmaker Andrea Mancori, and researcher Sara Vicari to find out more about their experience visiting cooperatives across the globe and how their collection of cooperative stories reinforces the power of change through collective action. Read more
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| New Coop Academy session on digital labour platforms in developing countries |
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The next Coop Academy session will take place on 5 March from 3 pm to 4.30pm CET. Uma Rani, Senior Economist at the ILO Research department, will share the opportunities and challenges for workers in developing countries on digital labour platforms based on a survey of 12,000 workers around the world. We will discuss the role cooperatives can play in improving their working conditions. To join the session, register here
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| The Policy Forum on Development goes virtual |
| The European Commission's (EC) Policy Forum on Development (PFD) will be an important event this year as the new EU budget, including funding for international development, is decided. Considering this fact, the ICA-EU Partnership on international cooperative development (#coops4dev) used its seat in the Task Team - which sets the agenda of the PFD - to push for consultations on the new budget and programming in collaboration with other CSO and LA partners. Read more |
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| CHI speaks to Magnus Ulaner from HSB LivingLab in Sweden |
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| How should we build housing cooperatives in the future? The HSB Living Lab in Gothenburg, Sweden is a research facility where students and guest researchers live and work in order to create future sustainable housing. Watch Cooperative Housing International’s video interview with Magnus Ulaner, head of sustainability at HSB, a large housing cooperative association in Sweden. Watch the interview |
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| How to engage youth in research? The ICA-AP Cooperative Research Conference responds |
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The 15th ICA-AP Cooperative Research Conference was held online on 17-18 December 2020. The event was organised by the the ICA-AP Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR), in collaboration with the Agricultural Cooperative Staff Training Institute (ACSTI), the Government of Kerala, ICA Domus Trust, the ICA-EU Partnership on Cooperatives in Development, and the Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS). Read more
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