The study ‘Cooperatives and Employment: a Global Report’, available online!

Presented for the first time at the International Summit of Cooperatives on 7 October and available now in an electronic version, the study “Cooperatives and Employment: a global report” carried out by CICOPA, discusses the significance of cooperative employment in the global landscape, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Read more

Cooperative Summit of the Americas: reaffirming cooperatives’ role in the global sustainable development 

The III Cooperative Summit of the Americas will be held in Cartagena, Colombia, from 3-7 November. It will be the 2° gathering of the General Assembly of CICOPA-Americas since the restructure of the organisation. The focus of the summit : to strengthen the active role cooperatives can play in a globalised world seeking sustainable development. Read more

Worker and Social cooperatives at the heart of the 2014 Cooperative Summit

From October 5 to 9, the 2014 International Summit of Cooperatives held in Quebec City, Canada, brought together 3,000 participants from 93 countries. Worker and social cooperatives were broadly represented both in institutional terms and with concrete examples from all around the globe. Read more

A Cuban economic update with an emphasis on worker and producer cooperatives

By mid-2014 a total of 498 worker cooperatives had been approved. Of that total, 384 are proposed conversions from state-owned enterprises, and 114 of them are proposals by private groups of entrepreneurs. 43 % are active in the gastronomy sector, 14% in the construction sector and 6.5 in the personal and technical services. Read more

CECOP’s position on the EU 2020 mid-term review: last chance for a sustainable, smart & inclusive Europe?

Four years after launching the EU 2020 strategy characterised by strong objectives and targets supposed to foster growth and jobs, the European Commission is doing a mid-term review and organising a public consultation for that purpose. Where do we stand right now? Read more

The interactive guide of the European route of cooperatives is on air!

Several cooperatives all around Europe are offering a sustainable and innovative tourism experience, while spreading their values and business model based on democracy and solidarity. To compile and spread all those realities, the new interactive guide of Cooproute, the European route of cooperative culture, has been launched this week. Read more

Emprende.coop: learn how to launch a collective enterprise

To help people learn more about setting up collective enterprises according to the same principles as worker cooperatives, COCETA, the Spanish Confederation of Worker Cooperatives has launched a new web portal: www.emprende.coop.The website offers an online tool that helps with the design of a business plan and other resources and documents informing users of the specifics of setting up cooperative businesses. Read more

Communication campaign regarding the transfer of sound enterprises to employees in France

The campaign launched by the Confederation of Worker Cooperatives in France (CG Scop) is aimed directly at company leaders and it provides a light-hearted overview of the long decision-making process which leads them to choosing the person to take over their company. The campaign slogan “and what if the best people to take over your company already work for it?” has been launched across all media platforms. Read more

20 November: Social Economy Enterprises and public procurement: a win-win combination for social inclusion!

CECOP together with the Social Platform, ENSIE, Eurodiaconia and REVES are holding a side event at the European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion (EPAP), entitled ‘Social Economy Enterprises and public procurement: a win-win combination for social inclusion!‘ on November 20 in Brussels. Read more

23 January 2015: Ways Forward III conference, a New Era for Cooperative Development

On Friday 23 January 2015 Cooperative Business Consultants, a cooperative consortium dedicated to helping democratic enterprises, will host Ways Forward III in Manchester (UK). The aim of this conference is, according to the organisers, to help rebuild and renew the British cooperative movement. They are looking for experienced international cooperators who can take part and share their experience. Read more

100% cooperative clothing
 

Argentinian cooperatives visit Mondragón

In September, a delegation of 30 Argentinian cooperative members and representatives took part in a training and exchange conference at the Mondragón Corporation Cooperative University. The University’s exchange program and classes taught the delegation more about the model, giving them a deeper understanding of how it could be replicated by Argentina’s 10,000 worker cooperatives. Read more

Levelling the Playing Field for Worker Cooperatives

Spurred by the powerful example of immigrant-owned cleaning cooperatives and the longstanding example of Cooperative Home Care Associates in the Bronx progressive New York city council members are allying with a new network of worker cooperatives to figure out how the city can encourage this economic sector. Read more

Cooperators from South Korea visit the British worker cooperative Suma Wholefoods

A group of 16 visitors from South Korea visited the British worker cooperative Suma Wholefoods as part of a trip around Europe to find out how Europeans run worker owned businesses. The group was made up mainly of workers of the WOOJIN bus company, which after years of legal battles, has been given to the workers. Read more