ica americas newsletter - issue 10
DESCRIPTION
International Cooperative Alliance for the Americas Newsletter - Issue Nr. 10 - November 2011TRANSCRIPT
IYC: an officially launched challenge
p. 4
The Youth is gradually gaining ground within
cooperative organizations p. 6
Conclusions of the 3rd.
Youth Meeting by Videoconference
p. 8
Coop’Art Asks Youth to Get Creative
p. 9
What can your co‐op do to make the most of 2012 IYC?
p. 10
ICA calls on EU to do more to support diversity
in the European economy p. 11
Global300 Report 2011 (...)
p. 11
Path towards the improvement of cooperative management
p. 12
Members’ stories p.14
Cooperatives can play an
important role in peacemaking (...) p.16
A Nobel Prize for co‐ops?
p.17
The medium is the message p.18
Co‐ops making use of new ICTs
p.19
Inside
“THE YOUTH IS GRADUALLY GAINING GROUND WITHIN COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS” Interview with the President of the ICA‐Americas Youth Committee (page 6)
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF COOPERATIVES:
AN OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED CHALLENGE
GLOBAL300 REPORT ANNOUNCES WORLD’S LARGEST CO-OPS Analysis discusses how co‐operatives persevered through financial crisis, gen‐erating revenues of USD 1.6 trillion in 2008. (page 11)
A NOBEL PRIZE FOR THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT? Could the global co‐operative movement be a candidate for a Nobel Prize during the International Year of Co‐operatives 2012? (page 17)
WHAT CAN YOUR CO-OP DO TO MAKE THE MOST OF 2012 IYC? Every cooperative ‐big or small‐ should rise to the challenge of turning the UN declaration into actions during 2012 and beyond. (page 10)
PATH TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT OF
COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT (page 12)
CANADIAN CO‐OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION: ICA‐AMERICAS OLDEST MEMBER (page 14)
ICA-Americas Newsletter Issue Nº 10 // November 2011
ICA-Americas Newsletter is an e-publication of the
International Co-operative Alliance for the Americas
[email protected] Phone: + (506) 2296 0981
Fax: + (506) 2231 5842 PO BOX: 6648 -1000 San José, Costa Rica
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011
The Editor’s Pen
Rethinking the role of youth within cooperatives
The theme of the International Day of Cooperatives, held on 2 July was” Youth:
the future of the cooperative enterprise”. This theme makes us think how the
cooperative model can empower youth and how to encourage dialogue and
understanding between different generations.
The Argentinean anthropologist Nestor García Canclini in his book: Youngsters
do not see themselves as the future. Are they the present? highlights the role
and specificity of youth life today: "Now many (young people) are in the key
places of contemporary life. Increasingly more young people are managers of
industries; they create innovative enterprises in strategic areas (computing,
digital services and audiovisual entertainment). New generations represent the
largest number of consumers of music, videos, and latest technologies; they
work in the most dynamic businesses; they are involved in gangs of drug traf‐
ficking and piracy networks; they are icons in fashion, art and advertising”.
In another section of his work, the author adds: "But young people are also the
protagonists of the present because they have the highest percentages of un‐
employment and informal employment. They are present in the statistics of
migrants and violent death as soldiers, assassins or simple victims of urban vio‐
lence. In these cases, young people are the present not only in the sense that
there is no waiting for the future but because they have little future”.
Different structures of society, its organizations and productive enterprises
cannot ignore this reality, in which the possibilities for this generation are end‐
less, but so are the difficulties and risks.
The Secretary General of UN Ban ki‐moon in his message for the celebration of
the International Day of Cooperatives invited young people to explore the
benefits of pursuing cooperative enterprises and other forms of social entre‐
preneurship. He also encouraged the cooperative movement to engage with
youth, in a spirit of dialogue and mutual understanding. “Let us recognize
young women and men as valuable partners in strengthening the cooperative
movement and in sustaining the role of cooperatives in social and economic
development” he said.
Within the International Co‐operative Alliance, youth plays an important role.
The ICA Board boasts a young member with the right to voice and vote. In the
Americas, the Regional Board also has a young member with the right to voice
and vote that advises and proposes ideas according to what is discussed within
the Youth Committee. Both members are from the American continent: the
former from Mexico and the latter from Dominican Republic. Also, most ICA
Manuel Mariño ICA Americas Regional Director
2
The future starts today. Let’s continue transforming the cooperative movement into a space for youth empowerment and forging a better world together.
“
”
members are increasingly establishing cooperative youth committees. In the
American continent, ICA – Americas Youth Committee works as a space for
integration and a meeting point of the youth committees in the different coun‐
tries.
Young cooperators have also shown how their knowledge of information and
communication technologies can be useful in terms of cooperative integration
and training. The Video Conference Meetings organized by the ICA‐Americas
Regional Committee are a good example of this. The third Video Conference
Meeting which took place on 30 June was entitled "Youth is the future made
present". It broke records in the number of participants and presentations by
cooperators. Young people from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Sal‐
vador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Dominican Republic showed
other cooperators what they are doing, their ideas, projects and interests, rais‐
ing their voices and making use of new technologies.
After the third meeting by videoconference, they committed themselves to
arrange a program for the realization of internships and exchanges of experi‐
ences, both face‐to‐face and online, using technology as a means to reduce
costs.
There still is a long way ahead of us. Young people also face difficulties within
their cooperatives: a lack of economic support for their initiatives or a ten‐
dency of adults to see them as competition for managerial positions, just to
mention two of them.
On the occasion of the launch of the International Year of Youth in August
2010, the UN Secretary General said: “The energy of youth can ignite faltering
economies. I am regularly inspired by the good will, talent and idealism of the
young people I meet across the world. They are making important contribu‐
tions to our work to eradicate poverty, contain the spread disease, combat
climate change and achieve the Millennium Development Goals. I call on
Member States to increase their investments in young people so they can do
even more.”
The future starts today. Let’s continue transforming the cooperative move‐
ment into a space for youth empowerment and forging a better world to‐
gether.
Young cooperators have also shown how their knowledge of information and communication technologies can be useful in terms of cooperative integration and training.
“
”
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 3
ICA‐Americas at the United Nations Official IYC Launch
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF COOPERATIVES: AN OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED CHALLENGE
The United Nations General Assem‐
bly launched the International Year
of Cooperatives (2012) at the UN
General Assembly Hall on Monday,
31 October 2011 in New York.
To commemorate the launch of the
International Year of Cooperatives, a
series of events were held through‐
out the day.
In the morning, an informal round‐
table discussion addressing the
theme “Cooperative Enterprises
Build a Better World: Contributions
to Sustainable Development”, took
place. In the afternoon, the United
Nations Deputy Secretary‐General
and the President of the General
Assembly officially launched the In‐
ternational Year of Cooperatives
(IYC), during the General Assembly
Plenary Session.
More than 150 CEOs and presidents
of some of the world’s largest co‐
operatives gathered for the official
launch and to consider how to cre‐
ate the conditions that ignite the
growth of co‐operative enterprises
throughout the decade.
The events at the United Nations
began with a roundtable discussion
involving some of the world’s coop‐
erative leaders, Maria Aranzazu Las‐
kurain – Secretary General of
Mondragon (Spain) , Li Chengyu ‐
President of the All China Federation
of Supply and Marketing Co‐
operatives (China), Piet Moerland ‐
C h a i r m a n o f R a b o b a n k
(Netherlands) and Carlos Heller,
President of Banco Credicoop
(Argentina).
The round‐table discussed the im‐
pact of cooperatives in development
with specific focus on food security,
financial and economic stability, and
environmental sustainability, while
highlighting the uniqueness and re‐
silience of the cooperative enter‐
prise model as driving their strong
role in these areas. It also touched
on their role in peace‐building and
creating bridges of communication
in areas of conflict. The role of stake‐
holders in developing the internal
capacity and policy space for
strengthening cooperative enter‐
prises was also discussed.
A sound and successful model
There are an estimated1000 million
members of co‐operatives world‐
wide and co‐operative enterprises
employ around 100 million people.
According to UN figures, 50% of the
world’s living standards are affected
by co‐operatives.
The top 300 co‐operative businesses
alone are worth 1.6 trillion US dol‐
lars, enough to make it into the top
9 economies in the world.
Globally, co‐operation has significant
presence in agriculture, financial
services, housing and utilities. And
there are all sorts of other sectors
and activities who clearly embrace
the ethos and concept.
However, most people fail to under‐
stand the importance of the model
within the global economy, and this
is a clear goal the International Year
aims to address.
During his dissertation, Carlos Heller
said “we have proved that efficiency
and democracy can be made consis‐
tent, while maintaining the solidarity
spirit of the cooperative enterprise”
The president of Banco Credicoop
explained that what sets the model
apart from others is that co‐
operatives – whether small farmers
or large consumer‐owned entities –
share the common values of democ‐
racy, solidarity, equality and self
help, creating businesses that serve
and deliver for the greater good, as
opposed to businesses predicated
on maximizing profit for a chosen
few.
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 4
"For us, it means thinking about us‐
ers, workers in charge of administra‐
tion and management, and carrying
out service processes, and produc‐
tion processes, where the purpose is
no longer to obtain the maximum
possible profit but to render the best
possible service: a service that effec‐
tively meets the needs of users and
customers, and where profitability is
necessary so that it may be able to
provide the service, so it may capi‐
talize, so it can meet the objectives
of technological adequacy and all
the current time challenges", Heller
remarked.
“It is our conviction that it is possible
to build a truly democratic and car‐
ing society. We are proud to be part
of the historical experience that con‐
ceives cooperatives as a tool for so‐
cial transformation”, he concluded.
Download Carlos Heller complete
speech.
During the round table discussion,
Sha Zakang, Under‐Secretary‐
General for Economic and Social Af‐
fairs, noted that because developing
a green economy will require
"radical shifts" in the way humans
produce and consume energy, coop‐
eratives play a valuable role in the
transition to a green economy by
creating economically and socially
sound practices.
"How can cooperatives be best util‐
ized to advance a people‐centered
approach to sustainable develop‐
ment?" he asked rhetorically. He
underscored the importance of co‐
operatives to the U.N.’s develop‐
ment agenda and its Millennium De‐
velopment Goals (MDGs) by 2015.
Daniela Bas, director of DESA’s Social
Policy and Development Depart‐
ment, similarly noted that by being a
"value‐driven, people‐centered
model of enterprise", cooperatives
can positively affect particularly vul‐
nerable populations such as indige‐
nous peoples and rural communi‐
ties.
Any resilient organization that can
weather a recession would seem
invaluable in the current economic
climate. Yet cooperatives are not
given the proper attention that
would allow them to flourish, argued
Jack Wilkinson, farmer and president
of ex IFAP now World Farmers’ Or‐
ganization (Canada), at the round
table. He called for the cooperative
sector to be given the support to
become more mainstream, so that
they do not remain on the fringe.
Piet Moerland, chair of Rabobank
and president of the European Asso‐
ciation of Cooperative Banks, ech‐
oed this sentiment. He emphasised
how little known cooperatives are –
neither the number of people in‐
volved in them nor the market value
they contain. "The cooperative busi‐
ness model is, in my view, underesti‐
mated in the media," Moerland said.
He added that it is similarly underes‐
timated by legislators and in regula‐
tory frameworks.
ICA President address to the UN
After the round table, Dame Pauline
Green delivered a speech to the
United Nations General Assembly. In
her address, she emphasized the
important role that cooperatives
play in global sustainable develop‐
ment and financial stability.
She stated that “for nearly two cen‐
turies we have been helping to re‐
duce conflict, build community cohe‐
sion, build skills and expertise, de‐
velop local leadership potential, and
supporting women into positions of
economic activity and leadership in
their communities ‐ all developed
with the intellectual underpinning of
the value of collective endeavour in
sustainable member‐owned, local
enterprises – in effect co‐operatives
have taken millions out of poverty
with dignity, by helping them to
build their own co‐operative enter‐
prises.”
According to ICA’s President, the
challenge of the cooperative move‐
ment is “to make sure that more
people in decisions‐making posi‐
tions, or those who exercise influ‐
ence in the political or economic
spheres, or indeed in the media,
know about the scope, size and scale
of the co‐operative sector of the
economy, and the work it does to
sustain and build communities
across the world, and its capacity to
do so much more”.
To conclude, Dame Pauline Green
expressed the movement is con‐
scious of the great gift that the UN
has given us with this International
Year. “It is a gift that recognizes the
cooperative impact on the socio‐
economic development of the world
and its capacity to so much more.”
“Together co‐operatives will work to
make this International Year a pow‐
erful restatement of the co‐
operative ideal, and it is our aim,
that on 31st December 2012 we will
be able to pivot from a successful
International Year of Co‐operatives
to a decade of co‐operative growth”
she highlighted.
Download Dame Pauline Green com‐
plete speech.
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 5
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 6
Interview with the President of the ICA‐Americas Youth Committee
“THE YOUTH IS GRADUALLY GAINING GROUND WITHIN COOPERATIVE ORGANIZATIONS” ICA‐Americas Youth Network
was born with the aim of sup‐
porting and facilitating the in‐
teraction between the organi‐
zations and initiatives of the
Cooperative Youth of the conti‐
nent. Towards the end of 2009,
it changed its name to ICA‐
Americas Youth Committee to
further its role as a means of
communication, cooperation
and advocacy. ICA‐Americas
Newsletter interviewed the
President of the Committee,
Franklin Ferreras, to learn more
about the relationship of youth
and the cooperative movement.
The United Nations has declared
2011 International Year of Youth
and 2012 International Year of
Cooperatives. What does this
mean for the ICA‐Americas Youth
Committee?
F: For the ICA‐Americas Youth
Committee this double recognition
means a lot. It shows that coop‐
erative youth have been working
on their cooperative ventures for
the benefit of their communities
and of those in need. Also, it im‐
plies that young people have been
influencing structures within their
cooperatives. Today, youth is in a
prominent place due to the hard
work developed at all levels in re‐
cent years. At present, we are get‐
ting ready for the Youth Coopera‐
tive Meeting to be held in Cancun,
Mexico, in November 2011 and we
have called the national commit‐
tees to prepare their delegations
so as to represent youth in this
important event. Likewise, the
Youth Committee will be highly
engaged in the celebration of 2012
International Year of Cooperatives.
What role does the youth play in
the co‐op agenda?
F: They play a leading role. A good
example of this is the fact that the
ICA Board has a young member
with the right to voice and vote.
Also, ICA‐Americas has a young
person in the Regional Board who
advises and carries out the propos‐
als and activities planned by the
Youth Committee. It is also impor‐
tant to highlight that most coop‐
eratives and federations affiliated
Sometimes when delegations are selected to participate in training courses and conferences, youth participation is low because they are not chosen to take part in such activities.
“
”
to the ICA in the region have
formed Cooperative Youth Com‐
mittees. This shows how the Youth
is gradually gaining ground within
cooperative organizations.
What are the priorities of the
Youth Committee today?
F: The priority issues are:
‐ Education and training in differ‐
ent areas such as values and coop‐
erative principles, entrepreneur‐
ship, incidence of youth within co‐
operatives, among other activities.
‐ Dissemination of the activities
carried out by young cooperators
in the Americas
‐ Promotion of the participation of
young people in the cooperative
movement. To this end, the Coo‐
pArt contest has been launched,
which was proposed by the young
representative of the ICA Board.
‐ Make the most of what remains
of the year 2011 and prepare our‐
selves to celebrate all the opportu‐
nities the 2012 International Year
of Cooperatives will present to us.
‐ Increase the integration of Coop‐
erative Youth Committees in all
countries of the Americas, which is
ICA‐Americas Youth Committee
main aim.
‐ Exchange of experiences among
young cooperators from different
countries in the region via video
conferences, internships, etc.
Which are the main problems the
cooperative youth face?
F: One of the main problems
young people face is the lack of
economic support to their initia‐
tives by their cooperatives, as well
as the lack of empathy and sup‐
port from senior members of co‐
operatives who see them as a
competition for managerial posi‐
tions. They do not view young
people as what really are: a help
for the development of the coop‐
erative movement and future
leaders. Sometimes when delega‐
tions are selected to participate in
training courses and conferences,
youth participation is low because
they are not chosen to take part in
such activities.
On 30 June the Committee held
the Third Meeting by Videocon‐
ference entitled: "The youth is the
future made present". What as‐
sessment can be made of this ac‐
tivity?
F: This third videoconference
broke records in the level of par‐
ticipation and presentations of
activities. The participants were
highly motivated and the interac‐
tion between them was impres‐
sive. There were participants from
Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Pa‐
nama, Peru and Dominican Repub‐
lic. They made their presentations
and then, there was a time for
questions and answers. At the
end, the participants decided to:
urge ICA–Americas to seek finan‐
cial resources for cooperative pro‐
jects promoted by young people;
promote the affiliation of more
cooperatives to ICA–Americas as a
means of attracting young people
to the cooperative movement; and
suggest that every ICA member
organization’s Board of Directors
has a young representative.
Is the new generation called to
play a prominent role in the hard
work of making the cooperative
movement more “visible”?
F: It is clear that the new genera‐
tion is called to play an out‐
standing role to achieve greater
visibility in the cooperative move‐
ment, because of its link with new
information and communication
technologies. Time has shown that
the mass media are crucial to
spread the word about co‐ops.
This is why we call all National
Committees to make use of the
mass media and new information
and communication technologies.
The ICA‐Americas Youth Commit‐
tee has a sub site within the ICA‐
Americas website to let other co‐
operators, the media and the gen‐
eral public, know what young co‐
operators in this region of the
world do.
… the new generation is called to play an outstanding role to achieve greater visibility in the cooperative movement, because of its link with new information and communication technologies.
“
”
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 7
On June 30, the youth of the
American region had a virtual
meeting in an activity which was
part of the celebration of the In‐
ternational Day of Cooperatives
2011. Under the slogan “The
youth is the future made pre‐
sent”, groups of young people
from different countries showed
more than a dozen presentations
in which they presented their
work and ideas. They also dis‐
cussed issues such as the visibil‐
ity of the cooperative movement
and the actions that the youth
can carry out to influence their
cooperatives. The Videoconfer‐
ence also focused on the Interna‐
tional Year of Cooperatives.
The participants reached the fol‐
lowing conclusions and/or commit‐
ments:
1. The youth work for and promote
cooperative principles and values.
2. Young people undertake to cre‐
ate a mechanism for the realization
of internships and exchanges at all
levels; both face‐to‐face and virtu‐
ally, making use of technology as a
means to reduce costs.
3. Young people undertake to con‐
tinue focusing on the structures of
cooperative institutions and in the
media so that co‐ops can have
greater visibility, presence and
reputation in society.
4. The ICA‐Americas Youth Commit‐
tee is committed to the participa‐
tion and integration of the coopera‐
tive youth of the Americas as
means to achieve cohesion.
5. Young people assume the com‐
mitment to promoting the affilia‐
tion of other cooperatives to the
ICA in order to attract young people
to the movement.
6. Young people suggest seeking
sources of funding for cooperative
projects promoted by the youth.
7. Young people recommend the
Boards of Directors to have youth
representation in each of their en‐
terprises, so as to integrate young
people into management bodies
and to engage them in decision
making.
8. Young people suggested that pri‐
mary cooperatives should allocate
resources for the activities of young
co‐operators.
9. Young people recommend estab‐
lishing strategic alliances with other
organizations which deal with the
youth in order to achieve mutual
cooperation and integration with
other youngsters.
CONCLUSIONS OF THE THIRD YOUTH MEETING BY VIDEOCONFERENCE
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 8
COOP’ART ASKS YOUTH TO GET CREATIVE
A global artistic competition de‐
signed to encourage youth to
creatively express their views on
co‐operative principles through
music, photography or video.
Coop’Art was announced by the ICA
on the United Nations International
Day of Co‐operatives on July 2. The
competition launches at the ICA Gen‐
eral Assembly in Cancun, Mexico in
November.
The ICA wants to invite greater num‐
bers of youth into the co‐operative
sector and Coop’Art is a galvanizing
project. It was conceived by José An‐
tonio Chavez, ICA’s Youth Represen‐
tative to the ICA Board. A camera, an
instrument or a voice is all entrants
will need to be able to participate in
the Coop’Art competition.
“Coop’Art is a great opportunity for
co‐operatives around the world to
get in touch and promote their mes‐
sage to young adults. This competi‐
tion will be one of the several initia‐
tives taken by ICA in the context of
the IYC and I wish it provides co‐
operative enterprises with a useful
tool to make younger generations
more involved,” said Rodrigo Gou‐
veia, Secretary General of EURO
COOP and Coop’Art organizer.
“I believe that young people today
share many of the values of the co‐
operative movement. If co‐
operatives are able to send a mes‐
sage in a way they understand and
use the communication tools that
they use, it will be possible to get
them more active and involved and
probably set the basis to find the fu‐
ture co‐operative leaders. Coop’Art
is an excellent tool to do this”, he
reaffirmed.
The theme of this year’s international
day is how co‐operative enterprises
empower youth.
It marks the approaching end of UN
International Year of Youth which
finished last August. At the same
time, it ushers in the International
Year of Co‐operatives 2012 which
kicks off in November at the ICA’s
General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico.
Entrants in the global competition
can submit their work through a
dedicated webpage for a six‐month
period beginning November. Anyone
can enter provided they are aged
between 16 and 35. The competition
has three different categories, pho‐
tography, video and music.
An awards ceremony will be held in
Manchester, UK in November 2012.
Co‐operatives provide young people
opportunities that address their prac‐
tical and strategic needs. They offer
youth a model of enterprise to create
their own businesses.
It offers opportunities to be em‐
ployed with enterprises that address
concerns for more democratic, re‐
sponsible and ethical business opera‐
tions.
“On this International Day of Co‐
operatives, the ICA calls on co‐
operators throughout the world to
engage young people in the co‐
operative movement and to invest in
their future leadership,” is the ICA’s
message on the 17th United Nations
International Day of Co‐operatives
and the 89th ICA International Co‐
operative Day.
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 9
1. Promote and support the crea‐
tion of National Committees in
every country.
2. Make use of social networks
(Facebook, Twitter) to share the
slogan of the IYC: “Cooperatives
enterprises build a better world”
and encourage discussions about
how cooperatives contribute to a
better world.
3. Use the slogan and logo in all of
your emails and correspondence.
4. Spread the word about the key
messages of the IYC using your
cooperative existing communica‐
tion materials, e.g. newsletters,
press releases.
5. Display the seven cooperative
principles in the cooperative
meeting room and analyze one
of them at the beginning of
every meeting.
6. Get in touch with parliamentari‐
ans and government representa‐
tives to let them know the coop‐
erative difference and the bene‐
fits this model can bring about to
local communities.
7. Share the slogan and logo with
clients and suppliers of the co‐op
and invite them to leave a com‐
ment about their ideas on coop‐
eration.
8. Set up a Cooperative Committee
and invite all cooperatives in
your area to find a way of col‐
laborating with a project for
2012.
9. Work on legacy projects beyond
2012. For example, think on the
possibility of declaring a Coop‐
erative City in your country.
10. Let the local press know what
your organization is doing. Send
brief articles to newspapers, ra‐
dio or TV stations and inform
them on the kinds of activities
you are planning to celebrate
such an important distinction
provided by the United Nations.
If we join forces, we can make it!
WHAT CAN YOUR CO‐OP DO TO MAKE THE MOST OF 2012 IYC?
2012 can be an exceptional year for cooperatives. It means a unique
opportunity to catch the attention of national governments,
business people, and above all, the general public to spread
the word about the true meaning of cooperation.
The UN recognition is just the first step. Now, every cooperative
‐big or small‐ should rise to the challenge of turning the
UN declaration into actions during 2012 and beyond.
At ICA‐Americas we would like to know how
cooperatives and cooperators are getting
ready for this international event. Below
you can find a list with 10 ideas about what
your co‐op can start doing right now. As
You can see, some of these ideas are
really simple and they only require
your commitment to the
cooperative message.
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 10
GLOBAL300 REPORT 2011 ANNOUNCES WORLD’S LARGEST CO‐OPERATIVE ENTERPRISES Analysis discusses how co‐operatives persevered through financial crisis, generating revenues of USD 1.6 trillion in 2008.
As part of the celebrations regarding the launch of the UN International Year of Cooperatives, the International Co‐operative Alliance (ICA) launched the latest Global300 Report. It announced that the largest 300 co‐operative enter‐prises in the world have collective revenues of USD 1.6 trillion, which is comparable to the GDP of the world’s ninth largest economy.
The report detailed that although co‐operatives were affected by the global financial crisis in 2008, they provided stability and security due to their measured risk model and their emphasis on services to members – not just profits. As a result, the co‐operative model represents an important contribution to the economic and social well‐being of populations and their communities. “The diversity and robustness of the co‐operative business model is based on principles and values,” said ICA President Dame Pauline Green. “This is why co‐operatives were resilient during the global financial crisis, employing over 100 million people worldwide and enabling the development and welfare of societies in the most competitive economies.”
This report analysed the co‐operatives by seven sectors ‐‐ which include Agriculture/Forestry, Banking/Credit Un‐ions, Consumer/Retail, Insurance, Workers/Industrial, Health, Utilities, and Other – and detailed how the global fi‐nancial crisis affected each industry. While co‐operatives were not immune to financial hardship, their flexibility in responding to the shifting markets and the trust of their members enabled these businesses to survive and thrive.
The launch of the report coincides with the United Nations International Year of Co‐operatives 2012, a monumental year which will provide a platform to educate the public on the strength and socio‐economic value of co‐operatives. Over the course of 2012, co‐operatives around the world will join together in a series of events to raise awareness of the impact and importance of the co‐operative model on societies and economies around the world, as well as promote their growth. Read the full report at: http://s.coop/7hym.
In a speech to the European Union’s
Informal Council of Industry Minis‐
ters, Dame Pauline Green, President
of the International Co‐operative Alli‐
ance, told the EU that it needs to do
more to support a diverse, strong
European economy.
Dame Pauline, President of an or‐
ganization that represents Europe’s
160,000 co‐operative businesses,
spoke to a meeting in Poland of Min‐
isters discussing European competi‐
tiveness in the run up to 2012, the
United Nations Year of Co‐
operatives.
Dame Pauline used the speech to
highlight that, although co‐operatives
are successful values based busi‐
nesses, understanding of them
amongst policy makers is limited. The
result, she explained, is that the
European economy is denied creative
growth potential and economic di‐
versity because co‐operatives are
inhibited from maximizing their con‐
tribution.
Dame Pauline singled out three pri‐
orities for the EU.
• Increasing understanding of the co‐
operative business model amongst
policy makers in the Brussels and
member states, so that co‐operatives
are on a level playing field with other
businesses.
• Supporting legislative change in
member states, so that legislation is
fit for purpose, is enabling rather
than prescriptive, and encourages
growth rather than constrains it.
• Opening up the EU’s policy frame‐
work to recognize and support the
development of modern co‐operative
business.
Dame Pauline Green said: “with 2012
designated the International Year of
Co‐operatives by the United Nations,
the European Union needs to re‐
spond. Co‐operatives are proven,
successful values based businesses
that can contribute to a strong com‐
petitive European economy. Europe
would benefit significantly from
greater diversity in the economy. Ac‐
tion by the EU to increase under‐
standing and support legislative
change would be an easy and wel‐
come step towards this.”
INTERNATIONAL CO‐OPERATIVE ALLIANCE CALLS ON EU TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT DIVERSITY IN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMY
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 11
The concept of “good coopera‐
tive governance” allows coop‐
eratives to analyze and verify if
an enterprise is well managed
in terms of rectitude and trans‐
parency (ethics) without ceas‐
ing to be profitable offering
their products or services to its
members. A model of good co‐
operative governance aims at
reflecting an image of high
prestige in all senses, in order
to give confidence and an
added value for its member‐
ship. For this reason, the need
to rethink some guidelines on
optimal governance and lead‐
ership based on ethics arises.
The promotion of good coopera‐
tive governance, as it is under‐
stood by ICA – Americas, aims at
strengthening the governance of
cooperative enterprises in all
countries of the American region.
The cooperative principles, as
well as cooperative values, are
the basis for appropriate coop‐
erative governance and must
guide the normal way of action
by members, leaders, manage‐
ment and staff working in any
organization of the sector.
Taking into account the impor‐
tance for the cooperative sector
to act in accordance with ethical
guidelines, ICA – Americas consid‐
ers useful to refresh the central
concepts to guide actions in this
regard and to achieve a better
cooperative culture through the
design and implementation of
codes of ethics that serve as a
guide to the members of the or‐
ganization.
To practice proper governance,
the roots and nature of what is
wanted to be properly governed
should be very well known. In our
case, we refer to cooperatives.
Nowadays the world lives a gen‐
eral disenchantment with the
way in which organizations are
Governance, Ethics and Leadership
PATH TOWARDS
THE IMPROVEMENT
OF COOPERATIVE
MANAGEMENT
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 12
governed. Both governmental
institutions and large private
companies have failed, and coop‐
eratives do not escape this crisis.
To achieve this objective, ICA–
Americas has developed a Hand‐
book of Good Cooperative Gov‐
ernance as a guiding tool to
strengthen good governance in
the cooperatives of the region.
In the first part, the Handbook
contains theoretical arguments
on good governance in coopera‐
tives taking into account an ethi‐
cal leadership. The second part
contains an instrument of meas‐
urement with 238 indicators,
based on the seven cooperative
principles, through which it is
possible to evaluate the govern‐
ance of any cooperative organiza‐
tion. At the same time, this in‐
strument facilitates the process
to adjust the indicators if neces‐
sary.
The objectives stated in the
Handbook, once put into practice,
raise awareness and understand‐
ing in the general public to the
fact that cooperatives are enter‐
prises that, by nature, are socially
responsible and are concerned
about sustainable development,
as relevant factors in their busi‐
ness strategy.
This valuable tool for the im‐
provement and professionaliza‐
tion of management in coopera‐
tives is carried out within the
framework of the project
"Incidence, governance and coop‐
erative development", developed
by ICA – Americas with the sup‐
port of the Swedish Cooperative
Centre. The handbook has been
edited and printed after having
been used in more than 35 semi‐
nars and workshops in Argentina,
Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecua‐
dor, El Salvador, Mexico, Guate‐
mala, Honduras, Panama, Para‐
guay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Uru‐
guay, where the participants
made excellent contributions,
which were incorporated into the
final document.
ICA – Americas has made an as‐
sessment of the governance of
cooperatives in Peru, Honduras,
Costa Rica and Ecuador.
Point out that the practice of cooperative values, linked to economic efficiency, promotes a culture of transpar‐ency, confidence and credibility which improves the image of national and regional cooperatives at all levels.
Characterize the cooperative difference highlighting that the cooperative principles and values are focused on
people, their needs and aspirations through self‐support and cooperative social responsibility. Improve the institutional image of the regional cooperative movement, to convey confidence over the state,
civil society and stakeholders.
OBJECTIVES OF THE GOVERNANCE, ETHICS AND LEADERSHIP HANDBOOK
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 13
ICA Launch of the International Year of Co-operatives Bi-annual General Assembly and related meetings
Register now at: http://s.coop/70zo More information: [email protected]
Members’ stories
CANADIAN CO‐OPERATIVE ASSOCIATION: ICA‐AMERICAS OLDEST MEMBER
On March 6, 1909, a group of six
leaders of Canadian consumer co‐
operatives met in Hamilton, Ontario
to talk about creating a national co‐
operative association. Two of the
co‐operators, who travelled some
2,000 kilometres from Nova Scotia
on Canada’s east coast, were late
for the meeting because their train
was delayed by a snowstorm.
It was a typically Canadian start to
what was to be a historic event in
the history of Canada’s co‐operative
movement. While co‐ops had ex‐
isted in Canada since before the
country was established in 1867,
there was no national association
representing co‐operatives.
The result of that meeting was the
Co‐operative Union of Canada
(CUC). Its goal was to bring to‐
gether co‐operatives, act as a voice
for Canadian co‐operatives and to
lobby the federal government for
legislation that would benefit the co
‐operative sector.
After the Second World War, the
CUC became active in international
development as part of the effort to
provide relief to the war‐ravaged
population of Europe. During the
1960s, its international develop‐
ment efforts turned toward the
newly independent nations in Af‐
At the International Co‐operative Alliance we know each of our
members has a story of cooperation to tell. We also firmly be‐
lieve that only if our organizations know each other better will
they be able to relate to each other more efficiently. This is
why, after 21 years of establishing the regional office in the
American continent, we have launched this space to share the
origins, present and dreams of our member organizations.
To launch this section, we invited the Canadian Cooperative
Association (CCA) to tell their story. The Union of Canadian Co‐
operatives (which later became known as Canadian Cooperative
Association) began its membership with the ICA in 1914. Since the opening of the Regional Office in 1990, the CCA
and the ICA – Americas have worked on different projects to strengthen their bonds and interaction. It should be
noted that Canadian co‐operatives are currently doing an intense and important work regarding the preparations
for the celebration of the International Year of Co‐operatives 2012.
The Canadian Co‐operative Association: A glance at the past… and a look forward to 2012
By Donna Balkan*
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 14
rica, Asia and the Americas, which
were looking for ways to develop
their communities and their econo‐
mies.
Today, the Canadian Co‐operative
Association (CCA) as it was renamed
in 1987, brings together more than
40 provincial and sectoral co‐op as‐
sociations, credit union centrals and
major co‐operatives, representing
more than nine million members of
over 2,000 co‐ops and credit un‐
ions. While its numbers have grown,
its mission – to promote, develop
and unite co‐operatives – is similar
to the vision held by its founders
back in 1909. It has also continued
the international development work
started by its predecessor, working
with partners around the world in
an effort to help reduce poverty
through co‐operation.
It was a happy coincidence that in
December 2009, as CCA was wrap‐
ping up the celebration of its 100th
anniversary, the United Nations
General Assembly proclaimed 2012
the International Year of Co‐
operatives. Since then, CCA ‐ to‐
gether with its francophone sister
organization, the Conseil canadien
de la coopération et de la mutualité
‐ have been working on plans and
projects for the International Year.
A national co‐operative sector com‐
mittee representing both the CCA
and CCCM networks was estab‐
lished to identify priorities for the
International Year: raising public
awareness of co‐operatives and the
co‐operative business model, sup‐
porting the growth and sustainabil‐
ity of the co‐op sector and creating
legacy projects that will live beyond
2012.
Together with the federal govern‐
ment’s Rural and Co‐operatives Se‐
cretariat, CCA and CCCM launched
Canada’s national 2012 website –
www.canada2012.coop – on June
28. The site is aimed at both co‐op
members and the broader public;
its features range from basic infor‐
mation about the co‐operative busi‐
ness model and co‐operatives in
Canada to suggestions on how both
individuals and organizations can
get involved in the International
Year. The IYC2012 logo can be
downloaded from the site; in the
fall of 2011, there will be additional
images, tools and resources that
will be made available. Another fea‐
ture to be added later this year is an
interactive page where people can
post their own IYC2012 messages.
CCA sees the International Year as
an exciting opportunity to shine a
spotlight on Canadian co‐
operatives, to instil pride in co‐op
members and employees, and to
reinforce its links with ICA and with
co‐operatives around the world.
The possibilities are endless!
(*) Donna Balkan
is Communications
Manager of the
Canadian Co‐
operative Associa‐
tion. For more
information about
CCA, go to www.coopscanada.coop.
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 15
COOPERATIVES CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PEACEMAKING BY BRINGING TOGETHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE A COMMON ECONOMIC INTEREST DESPITE THEIR CONFLICT By U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell *
The most difficult conflicts to resolve
are those in which there is a total
absence of trust on both sides. One
important way to build that trust is
through commerce that distributes
wealth widely, which creates oppor‐
tunity for all members of society and
helps prevent feelings of exploita‐
tion. Cooperatives’ shared owner‐
ship raises the possibility of an en‐
terprise that is owned by people on
all sides of a conflict.
I recently concluded more than two
years as special envoy for peace in
the Middle East. I left the position at
a time when lasting peace in that
region looks remote, but I still be‐
lieve that there is no such thing as a
conflict that can’t be ended. How‐
ever, to move toward that goal we
must address the root economic
cause of conflict.
In many of today’s most difficult
conflicts, culture, religion and terri‐
tory are huge and historic causes.
But often underlying them is an eco‐
nomic cause. Where people don’t
have jobs, opportunity, hope –
where there is only despair and in‐
stability – you have the ingredients
for political instability and political
violence.
I previously served in the peace
processes in Northern Ireland and
the Balkans during the 1990s, and I
also chaired a commission that ex‐
amined the causes of violence be‐
tween Israel and the Palestinians.
In that 2001 report, we noted that
"Palestinians expressed frustration
with the impasse over refugees and
the deteriorating economic circum‐
stances in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip." Since then, both the economy
and the prospects for peace have
deteriorated, especially in Gaza.
Although not the only factor, pov‐
erty can beget radicalism, which can
beget violence, which can beget
more poverty. Thus, a very impor‐
tant aspect of peacemaking is eco‐
nomic growth, which leads to job
creation and gives people the sense
that they are contributing members
of a growing economy.
Government has a central role to
play in the design and implementa‐
tion of any peace agreement. But in
order to create a lasting peace
among the people impacted by the
treaty, they must sense that there
are tangible benefits to improved
relations with the people whose rep‐
resentatives sit across the negotiat‐
ing table.
Indeed, my work on the peace ac‐
cord in Northern Ireland began
when I agreed to organize a 1995
trade conference to address wide‐
spread unemployment. Northern
Ireland faced a situation in which
militia participation was seen by
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 16
A NOBEL PRIZE FOR CO‐OPS?
Could the global co‐operative
movement be a candidate for a
Nobel Prize during the Interna‐
tional Year of Co‐operatives?
It’s an idea put forward by the Con‐
seil canadien de la coopération et de
la mutualité (CCCM), which adopted
a resolution at its Annual General
Meeting in June. The resolution
urges that the International Co‐
operative Alliance (ICA), which
represents the co‐operative move‐
ment around the world, be nomi‐
nated as a candidate for the Nobel
Peace Prize.
The resolution points out that eco‐
nomic and social factors create an
environment conducive to peace,
that co‐operatives play an important
role in the social and economic de‐
velopment of communities around
the world, and that co‐operatives
promote the democratic model.
According to the Nobel Peace Prize
website, institutions and associa‐
tions are eligible to receive the No‐
bel Peace Prize, as well as individu‐
als. This month, the Nobel Commit‐
tee will be asking for nominations
from such "qualified nominators" as
politicians, university professors and
previous Nobel Prize laureates.
Nominations must be submitted by
February and the winner is selected
in October.
Source: CCA
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 17
many young men as an economic
opportunity as well as a patriotic
cause.
What first seemed like a simple
trade conference led to years of
multi‐party negotiations that even‐
tually yielded the Good Friday
Agreement. That diplomatic success
was the beginning of a lasting peace
that has now held for more than a
decade.
Consider three reasons why coop‐
eratives can be an important part of
economic peacemaking.
First, cooperatives have a long his‐
tory of bridging conflict. The Interna‐
tional Co‐operative Alliance has held
together through more than a cen‐
tury of wars, despite having mem‐
bers from nations on both sides of
both World Wars as well as the Cold
War. Co‐ops have provided a chan‐
nel for dialogue among peoples,
even when their respective govern‐
ments are not talking.
Second, co‐ops exist to meet peo‐
ple’s needs, which are paramount in
the wake of violent conflict. Situa‐
tions in which violent conflict has
been occurring are not always con‐
ducive to attracting outside invest‐
ment. And outside investors are
more likely to withdraw if the long
reconciliation period faces a period
of revived tension. So the local own‐
ership of cooperatives provides a
locally‐rooted form of economic de‐
velopment.
Finally, co‐ops are based in their
communities and can help give peo‐
ple the opportunity to work together
on small‐scale democracy. In some
cases, co‐ops can bring together
members of different parties in a
conflict as members of a single coop‐
erative, providing a shared economic
interest. Unlike investment by out‐
siders, these shared enterprises re‐
build civil society as they rebuild the
economy.
Negotiations seek to get political
leaders to reach agreement, and
sometimes that only lasts long
enough for a vote. Such a moment
of agreement is essential, as it pro‐
vides the foundation for the peace‐
ful stability on which economic
growth depends. But it is not always
enough. Cooperatives can help build
trust and shared economic opportu‐
nity, and thus improve the chances
of lasting peace.
* Senator George Mitchell is the former US
special envoy for Middle East peace. He previ‐
ously served as the US Senate Majority leader
and special envoy to Northern Ireland.
Cooperatives can help build trust and shared economic opportunity, and thus improve the chances of lasting peace.
“
”
Cooperatives and the media
“THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE”
On 21 July several countries in the world celebrated the centenary of the birth of the Canadian media pioneer and theorist Marshall McLuhan, who in the sixties coined phrases like “the global village” and “the medium is the message”. He is widely recognized for having anticipated the internet and its social impact.
We are accustomed to thinking that the media are only sources through which we receive information, but the concept of Mc Luhan was that any technology (all media) is an ex‐tension of our body, mind, or being. The technological resources are un‐derstood as tools that extend human abilities. In the same way as a bicycle or a car are an extension of our feet, the computer would be an extension of our central nervous system.
The existence of cooperative media that fully convey the cooperative message seems essential in an era characterized by both giant corpora‐tions –owners of the mass media‐ and plenty of information striving to gain ground in the local, national and international agendas.
Media that are run with a mercantil‐ist vision which put profit before in‐formation, hardly ever fill their pages or radio and television waves spread‐ing the word about the advantages and the impact of the cooperative model.
Nowadays, one of the main prob‐lems cooperatives face is their lack of visibility, despite being a sector which gathers more than 800 million people, in more than 100 countries and which provides more than 100 million jobs.
It seems that, although 300 of the world's largest cooperatives are
worth $ 1.6 trillion (representing the size of the ninth largest economy in the world), co‐ops do not stand out on the agenda of the media.
On the other hand, cooperatives of the American continent sometimes get a place in the news when nega‐tive things happen. As in all human activity, cooperatives are not alien to crisis or some unscrupulous individu‐als use the co‐op model to achieve ends that have nothing to do with the cooperative spirit or the princi‐ples clearly established by the Inter‐national Co‐operative Alliance. But the question we ask ourselves is: how much is disseminated about the projects, activities, economic growth and social impact of cooperatives? The answer is: very little. Coopera‐tives have a myriad of information worth disseminating. The challenge is how to process it, sort it and place it in the hands of those who are will‐ing to spread it to their communities.
Cooperative media?
“Can media be co‐operative?” This was the question a group of journal‐ists and experts from different fields –like economy and law– attempted
to answer in an event organised by Goldsmith College, the National Un‐ion of Journalists and Co‐operatives UK last May. And their answer was a firm: “Yes, they can”.
These professionals concluded co‐operative and mutual models could help media to overcome the deep crisis they are experiencing.
The speakers agreed redefining local media as cooperatives could help to put them back into the community, serving its workers and citizens bet‐ter. Co‐operatives, mutuals and non‐for‐profit organisations are some of the alternatives experts suggested; proposals that are considered to be fairer and a guarantee of independ‐ence and freedom for workers and society.
Co‐operatives engage with its mem‐bers, whether workers or customers. This relationship can reflect in the media sector rebuilding the bounda‐ries between people and journalism. “The harsh truth is that if communi‐ties want papers that understand their issues and reflect them, and reporters want papers that are com‐mitted to journalism, then you have to find a business model which takes power and control away from people who have shown they have a paper‐thin commitment to both of these”, said Dave Boyle, member of the Co‐operative Business Development Panel at Co‐operatives UK.
According to the Canadian communi‐cations theorist “We shape our tools and then our tools shape us”. A com‐pany managed by its workers, who collaborate rather than compete and who enjoy independence from eco‐nomic powers, may have many more chances to help build a more aware and committed society. The coopera‐tive model, can help them do it.
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 18
Cooperatives have a myriad of information worth disseminating. The challenge is how to process it, sort it and place it in the hands of those who are willing to spread it to their communities.
“
”
CO‐OPS MAKING USE OF NEW INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT)
Internet and other computer
technologies have revolution‐
ized the economy and have
turned the world into a “global
village”. Using computers, key‐
boards and clicks profits are
maximized but at the same time
groups fighting for human
rights and the environment find
a common platform from which
they work in a coordinated way.
Various ICT applications can be con‐
sidered effective technologies to
facilitate financial movements and
human communication. For exam‐
ple, the Creative Commons Organi‐
zation strives to reduce the barriers
to creativity online; the Mozilla
Foundation promotes an open and
participative network; Witness pro‐
motes the use of videos to defend
human rights; Global Voices is a net‐
work of bloggers who give voice to
excluded populations; the Wikime‐
dia Foundation operates projects
like Wikipedia and encourages
shared and collaborative work of
many people via the Internet.
Some of the initiatives of the use of
ICT by cooperative organizations are:
The International Co‐operative
Alliance for the Americas offers
its service "acidigital", aimed at
supporting cooperatives in the
region in the optimization of
their presence on the internet
and the exploitation of the po‐
tential offered by ICTs. More info
at www.acidigital.coop.
Several cooperatives use social
networks, blogs, twitter and
other communications tools, al‐
though they still do not apply ICT
to organize “Cyberactions”.
Some cooperatives do work with
these technologies.
Recently‐launched Facecoop, is a
network of social solidarity, co‐
operation and development,
concerning gender, environ‐
ment, participation and fight
against poverty. Also, the Eco‐
book network of the IUCN initia‐
tive strives to promote sustain‐
able development through per‐
sonal and collective commit‐
ment.
Some examples of successful coop‐
erative media
The Chicago News Cooperative
produces journalism taking into
consideration the public in Chi‐
cago, addressing its politics, cul‐
ture, arts and the diversity of
communities that can be found
in the metropolitan area. It pub‐
lishes its articles in the prestig‐
ious newspaper The New York
Times on Fridays and Sundays. It
is the only organization that pro‐
duces entire pages in this pres‐
tigious publication. It also works
in society with WTTW Channel
11, the public television of Chi‐
cago. Visit: chicagonewscoop.org
In Uruguay, the newspaper
called La Diaria celebrated its
fifth year in the local newspaper
scene. This project was born out
of the crisis of traditional media
and the emergence of new forms
of communication. While the
company since its inception has
been characterized by consensus
decision‐making, after serving its
fifth year decided to turn into La
Diaria Cooperative. Visit
ladiaria.com
In Argentina the cooperative La
Vaca publishes the journal Mu
and produces audio documenta‐
ries for radio stations. A recent
one deals with freedom of ex‐
pression, politics and free soft‐
ware. Visit lavaca.org
In Costa Rica the Sula Batsú co‐
operative has a history of organ‐
izational strengthening and im‐
plementation of ICT. Visit sula‐
batsu.com
The democratization and access to
information and communication has
opened new horizons to coopera‐
tives. In a context in which the qual‐
ity of the information is of utmost
importance, the cooperative model
appears extremely useful to ensure
the access to quality content.
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 19
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 9 // May 2011 An e-publication of International Co-operative Alliance for the Americas (ICA Americas) ICA is an independent, non-governmental association which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide Editor: Manuel Mariño // Realization team: Natalia Acerenza, Virginia Pérez Auza and Jorge Cabrera (jcse) © ICA Americas // Contents can be reproduced without authorization on condition that the source is indicated
ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 10 // November 2011 An e-publication of International Cooperative Alliance for the Americas (ICA Americas) ICA is an independent, non-governmental association which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide Editor: Manuel Mariño // Realization team: Natalia Acerenza, Virginia Pérez Auza and Jorge Cabrera (jcse) © ICA Americas // Contents can be reproduced without authorization on condition that the source is indicated
20
SHORT ica NEWS
To mark the United Nations International Year of Co‐operatives 2012, the worldwide co‐operative move‐ment launched on November 1st a new initiative designed to provide much needed finance to co‐operatives in developing countries. This new initiative called Global Development Co‐operative (GDC) aims to support co‐operative businesses in developing countries by raising US$ 50 million to provide access to low cost loans for capital and infrastructure projects. It will target investors with an interest in international development and extending the reach and benefits of the co‐operative model. To read the full press release on the Global De‐velopment Co‐operative, visit http://s.coop/7jvm. Between the 14th and 18th November 2011 the General Assembly of the International Cooperative Alliance will be held at the Moon Palace Hotel Resort and Spa in Cancun, Mexico. To date, the attendance is expected to be over 2000 delegates: cooperative representatives from all over the world. Apart from the Plenary Ses‐sions of the bi –annual Assembly, a number of important activities will take place, namely General Assemblies and Plenary Meetings of the different sectoral organizations and thematic committees; as well as of the re‐gional and global ICA boards. For more information and orientation on registration go to the event’s official website: (http://www.ica2011.coop) or send an email to [email protected]. Proposed Polish legislation, which would have seen the demutualisation of the country’s co‐operative sec‐tor, is dead with the help of the hands‐on approach of the ICA. Pauline Green, ICA President, and Felice Scal‐vini, Cooperatives Europe President, attended meetings with government ministers in Poland, including the Deputy Prime Minister, in June to argue the case against the two pieces of planned legislation. The legislation affected, firstly, the Polish co‐operative housing sector and, secondly, the governance of co‐operatives. Green and Scalvini’s flying visit saw them attend a co‐operative rally, the first of its kind, which drew a crowd of about 4500. In the past few months, new staff has been appointed to the ICA team in Geneva: Elizabeth Dribben as Policy Director, Nicola Kelly as Communications Director, Prisca Boxler as Special Projects Coordinator and Alex Baker, who was seconded to the ICA for a six‐month period in September 2011 to support the delivery of communications activity for the International Year of Co‐operatives. Dr. Mutua Waema has been appointed as the new Regional Director of ICA‐Africa. Born in Kenya, he has served as executive in cooperative banks in his country and as Rabobank Foundation representative for East Africa. Dr. Waema will be based in Nairobi, Kenya. The International Co‐operative Alliance continues growing globally. Nowadays ICA has 262 member organiza‐tions (226 full members and 36 associate members) from 96 countries representing approximately 1 billion individuals worldwide.
20
1
2
3
4
5
6
All of your suggestions and proposals regarding the newsletter’s contents are very important for us, since our primary goal is to provide a publication enriched by your opinions.
Please send your comments to: [email protected]