Cooperatives driving sustainability, says UN

Senior UN officials made a call to governments on the International Day of Cooperatives – which is held every first Saturday of July – to facilitate the growth and development of cooperatives as they are drivers of a sustainable future.

According to the UN, there are about 2.6 million cooperatives around the world and they employ 12.6 million people.

On World Day – which this year had for theme: “Cooperatives: The power to act for a sustainable future” – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “Cooperatives play an important role in many societies.”

One person in every six is concerned by cooperatives, according to UN estimates, either being a client or a member of a cooperative, and the cooperatives’ assets are worth $20 trillion and they generate $3 trillion in annual revenue.

The UN chief said: “We believe cooperatives can make significant contributions to the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] on employment, poverty, hunger, and equality.”

Cooperatives have particularly focused on the well-being of the communities they serve as they are owned and run by their members.

As an example, small producers receive help from agricultural cooperatives through the facilitation of access to markets, credit, insurance and technology, while social cooperatives enable a safety net in the face of declining or minimal public welfare, and in the financial sector, cooperatives serve more than 857 million people.

Mr. Ban added: “Let us harness the power of cooperatives to achieve the SDGs and create a world of dignity and opportunity for all.”

Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Organisation said: “Cooperatives are not a new idea, but are more relevant than ever if we look at the development challenges and opportunities the world faces over the coming decades.”

He added that cooperatives together with micro to medium sized enterprises will contribute to create jobs for everyone – especially young people – as the need for new jobs is going to increase globally by 2030.

He also said: “For these and other reasons, the ILO recognises the role of cooperatives as drivers of sustainable development, and remains a strong supporter of the cooperative enterprise model.”