International Day of Cooperatives Cooperatives build better future for all

Ranjan K Baruah

(With direct inputs from UN/WHO publication and feedback may be sent to bkranjan@gmail.com)

Working in a team yields more results than working individually, and there is a joy in teamwork. Teamwork is not only for games but also for many other activities. One may earn for herself or himself, but when we come together and work together and earn in a team and also make a positive impact in society, it is always satisfying. Let’s understand cooperatives and their importance in bringing a better future for all of us.

A cooperative is defined in the Statement on the Cooperative Identity as “an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.” Simple cooperatives are people-centred enterprises owned, controlled, and run by and for their members to realise their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations. It brings people together in a democratic and equal way.

The model is more based on values than business, and it is managed in a democratic way, though sometimes we see that there are few individuals who want to make it a family entity by engaging family members. It allows people to take control of their economic future, and because they are not owned by shareholders, the economic and social benefits of their activity stay in the communities where they are established.

We should know that more than 12% of humanity is part of any of the 3 million cooperatives on earth; the 300 largest cooperatives or mutuals report a total turnover of 2,409.41 billion USD while providing the services and infrastructure society needs to thrive; cooperatives contribute to sustainable economic growth and stable, quality employment, providing jobs or work opportunities to 280 million people across the globe—10% of the world’s employed population.

This year, on July 6, cooperatives around the world will celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives (IDC) with the theme “Cooperatives Building a Better Future for All.” Cooperatives will have the opportunity to showcase their current and historical contributions to building a sustainable future, accelerating efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030. The theme aligns well with the objectives of the upcoming United Nations Summit of the Future, whose theme is “Multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow.”.

Celebrated worldwide for more than a century and officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on the centenary of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) in 1995, the IDC is annually commemorated on the first Saturday of July. The 2023 UN Secretary-General Report on Cooperatives in Social Development acknowledged that cooperatives have a track record of promoting the economic and social development of all people, including marginalised groups.

In November 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/78/175 on cooperatives in social development, calling for the proclamation of 2025 as an International Year of Cooperatives. The resolution encourages all Member States, as well as the United Nations and all other relevant stakeholders, to take advantage of the International Year of Cooperatives as a way of promoting cooperatives and raising awareness of their contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and to overall social and economic development.

The ICA was founded in London, England, on August 19, 1895, during the 1st Cooperative Congress. In attendance were delegates from cooperatives from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, India, Italy, Switzerland, Serbia, and the USA. Representatives established the ICA’s aims to provide information, define and defend the Cooperative Principles, and develop international trade.

The Ministry of Cooperation in India was created by transferring the existing entries related to cooperation and cooperative in the business of the erstwhile Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation, and Farmers Welfare via the Cabinet Secretariat’s Gazette Notification dated July 6, 2021. The Ministry is responsible for providing a separate administrative, legal, and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.

We are aware that the main principles of cooperatives include open and voluntary membership; democratic member control; members’ economic participation; autonomy and independence; education, training, and information; cooperation among cooperatives; and concern for the community. We must ensure that our cooperatives work in the true spirit so that they can bring positive changes to society. Our involvement in a democratic manner would strengthen the cooperatives.

(With direct input from UN publications)