A People-Centred Path for a

Second Cooperative Decade

2020 – 2030 Strategic Plan
January 2020

At the ICA 2017 General Assembly

in Kuala Lumpur, the newly elected
Board of Directors was given
the following mandate:

Revise the overall strategy expressed in The following pages successively examine
the Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade,
with a view toward 2030, building on the SEC TI O N 1
action plan, the policy guide, and the The ICA’s Purpose and Mission in the face of
work of the Leadership Circle, the Co- the challenges the world is facing;
operative Roundtable and the Blue
Ribbon Commission on Co-operative SEC T I O N 2
Capital, as appropriate, working in close How to strengthen and deepen the Cooperative
collaboration with the regions and Identity in this new decade;
sectors of the Alliance and in
consultation with the entire Alliance SEC T I O N 3
membership, with the goal of proposing The Vision launched in the Blueprint for a
a new, people-centred path for Cooperative Decade, which it is proposed to
globalization through increasing continue through to 2030;
importance given to co-operative
action, and by the bodies of the Alliance
strengthening their combined action at SEC T I O N 4
the service of co-operatives and their Analyses the relationship between the four
national structures. themes of this Strategic Plan, as presented,
and the five pillars of the Blueprint;
This Strategic Plan has been debated and approved by
the ICA General Assembly in Kigali on 17 October SEC T I O N 5
2019 after 22 months of elaboration and consultation Comprises the Strategic Plan itself, set out
with ICA members and ICA bodies. It is aimed at under four key themes. The concept behind
providing strategic guidance to the cooperative each theme is explained, the corresponding
movement at the international level, namely the ICA strategic objectives are defined, and specific
and its regional, sectoral and thematic bodies, as well strategic initiatives are spelled out that will be
as the whole ICA membership as far as international translated into operational work plans.
action is concerned.

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1 The ICA’s Purpose and Mission

vs. the Global Challenges of this New Decade
The Purpose of the International
Cooperative Alliance is as follows: We therefore reconfirm the Mission
of the organisation:
• To promote the world cooperative
movement, based on mutual self-help and The ICA unites, represents and serves
democracy; cooperatives worldwide. It is the custodian
• To promote and protect cooperative values of cooperative values and principles and
and principles; makes the case for their distinctive values-
• To facilitate the development of economic based economic business model, which also
and other mutually beneficial relations provides individuals and communities with an
between its member organizations; instrument of self-help and influence over their
• To promote sustainable human development development. The ICA advocates the interests
and further the economic and social and success of cooperatives, disseminates
progress of people, thereby contributing to best practices and knowledge, strengthens
international peace and security; and their capacity building and monitors their
• To promote equality between men and progress and performance over time. (ICA
women in all decision-making and Bylaws, Art. 1).
activities within the cooperative
movement.” (ICA Bylaws, Art. 1). In fulfilling this Mission, the ICA acts as a global
hub able to gather, on a voluntary basis, all
The greatest strength of the cooperative types of cooperatives and to clearly define the
movement today is its global reach—its various roles (global, regional, sectoral and
spread across every geographic region, its national) in implementing this Strategic Plan
multi-sectoral character, and the sharing
of a common identity. Through the ICA, the We face many challenges today
cooperative movement forms a well-defined, around the world, where cooperatives
well-linked global network. have a key role to play:

Yet today the greatest weakness of the - We see an urgent need to mitigate and adapt
cooperative movement is that, even within the to the effects of climate change, including the
ICA global network, there is limited cooperation migration and displacement of peoples.
among cooperatives, a limited commitment to - We are concerned about growing social and
sharing resources for research and education, economic disparities, including unequal
and a significant lack of participation by large incomes and wealth, and recognize the need
cooperatives. to accelerate efforts to address gender
equality.
At the same time, significant opportunities - In the face of massive youth unemployment,
are emerging for all cooperatives—new we seek greater engagement and inclusion of
opportunities for collaboration; business youth in the global cooperative m ovement.
- We expect digital transformation to bear
connections and information sharing through a
significantly on the future of cooperatives.
new generation of information technology and - We anticipate increased instability in the
common IT platforms; active participation by financial sector and a growing risk to the
youth and women in an inclusive cooperative global economy, with cooperatives
network; and new and emerging business potentially serving as a mitigating factor.
models in the social and solidarity economy. - We observe a growing global governance
All this suggests a potential for cooperative gap and the continuing loss of trust in
expansion and increased influence. The ICA political and economic organisations. We
can greatly enhance those opportunities equally recognize the need for good
through education, research and cooperative governance and formal education
cooperation, while acknowledging the diversity and training in cooperative governance as a
in membership size and needs and finding ways global issue.
to address the rise in new fields of activity for
cooperatives.
.

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- We are concerned that national politics and positive way. Yet as the Blueprint’s
and regulation are not always conclusion rightly states:
conducive to an effective cooperative
legal framework, as set out in the The ICA certainly has its own role to play
Statement on the Cooperative Identity. and has every intention of rising to the
- In a world prone to multiple conflicts, challenges presented. But for this to be
we continue to maintain our historic meaningful and effective, it needs to be
commitment to global peace and taken up and endorsed by national bodies,
security. by individual societies, and by all people
- We believe that greater focus is who believe in the cooperative way of doing
needed on the dignity of work and business. Cooperatives must lead the way
the role of technology in the future by cooperating amongst themselves.”
of work, and that cooperatives can (Blueprint for a Cooperative Decade, p. 36)
be one of the main actors in this
field.
- We consider the growth of the world
population and the challenge of feeding
billions to call on cooperatives for
substantial contributions to food security.
- We consider that cooperatives have a key
role to play in affording billions of people
the opportunity to enjoy a decent level of
education and health and a reasonable
standard in housing and work.

The 2020-2030 ICA Strategic Plan, built

2
upon the foundation of the Blueprint for a
Cooperative Decade, is intended to address
these challenges and concerns in a proactive

2 Strengthening a nd d ee p en in g the
Cooperative Identity in this New
Decade
The cooperative values of self-help, self- Evidence of the power and persuasiveness o f
cooperative values is their acceptance across the
responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and
globe by all types of cooperatives. Commitment to
solidarity still ring true. No investor-owned,
these values is so very important in today’s torn,
for-profit organisation can entirely incorporate divided world.
them into its culture, as much as it might try.
The Statement on the Cooperative Identity If we do not sincerely embrace our cooperative
also includes four ethical values—honesty, identity, if we do not allow that identity to cascade
openness, social responsibility and caring for throughout the organisations that we represent, we will
others. While any for-profit investor-owned face an existential crisis such that we may not survive as
company can claim to embody these four cooperatives. We may come to be viewed as irrelevant in
ethical values, their actual behaviour often comparison with alternative forms of business and
belies that claim 1. alternative approaches to addressing, among other
things, the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).
1 The ICA has been the only global cooperative organisation since
1895. Its principal responsibility is to advocate for, defend and
protect the cooperative identity (definition, values and
principles). On the 100th anniversary of the ICA, the cooperative
advocacy work by the cooperative movement, this foundational text has been
principles were amended, with the definition of a cooperative, as
incorporated in full in ILO Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (n°
well as a new set of cooperative values, added and approved by
193), thereby obtaining the formal recognition of the international community.
the ICA Congress for the first time, as part of the Statement on
the Cooperative Identity (see Annex below). Thanks to intense
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3 The Vision of the Blueprint for a Cooperative

Decade Extended towards the 2030 horizon
The present Strategic Plan To realize this Vision by the end of the new
acknowledges the 2020 Vision decade, we must begin by establishing a series
expressed in the Blueprint for a of measurable indicators. Regarding the first
Cooperative Decade and proposes to part of the Vision, we now have at hand the
extend it to 2030. This Vision states structure provided by the 17 UN Sustainable
as follows: Development Goals, with 169 targets and
230 indicators. However, the latter need to
The ambitious plan in this Blueprint – the 2020 be adapted to cooperatives (as mentioned
Vision– is for the cooperative form of business in section D.1. of the Strategic Plan below).
by 2020 to become Regarding the second part, we will have to
define precise indicators to demonstrate that
1 The acknowledged leader in economic, cooperatives have indeed become the preferred
social and environmental sustainability model (as mentioned in B.5 below). As for the
2 The model preferred by people third part, we will have to develop indicators
3 The fastest growing form of enterprise. defining what growth means for cooperatives
(Blueprint for a Cooperative Decade, p.3). (as mentioned in B.9 below).2

2 The ICA document Cooperative Growth for the 21st Century (2013) could be used as a basis for this discussion.
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4 The four key themes of the strategic plan vs.

the five pillars of the Blueprint
There is a direct relationship Growth of the Cooperative Movement
between the four themes of the is dependent on our continuing ability to
2020-2030 Strategic address the issues identified in the Legal
Plan and the five Framework and Capital pillars of the
Blueprint pillars: Blueprint. Both pillars are foundational to the
ICA’s ability to expand membership and to
Promotion of the Cooperative Identity extends support the creation of new cooperatives in
and expands upon the Identity pillar of the multiple sectors.
Blueprint in recognizing that the Statement
on the Cooperative Identity needs to be better Cooperation among cooperatives
understood and internalized by all cooperatives extends and expands upon the Participation
and, most specifically, by ICA members. The pillar of the Blueprint by placing additional
new theme also extends and expands upon the focus on the necessity for more and better
coordination and participation between and
Legal Frameworks pillar by acknowledging
among cooperatives and apex organizations in
the Statement on the Cooperative Identity as
the global network. Many who provided input
central to legislative and regulatory recognition
to the 2020-2030 S t r a t e g i c P lan identified
of the cooperative model’s unique character.
significantly greater inter-cooperation as a very
important and desirable focus for the ICA.

Contribution to Global Sustainable

Development extends and expands upon
the Sustainability pillar of the Blueprint
by recommitting to a strong cooperative
contribution to the 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals of the United Nations.
Sustainability encompasses the triple bottom
line of cooperative enterprise – economic,
social and environmental.

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5 The Strategic Plan

A. PRO MOTIO N OF THE COO PERATIVE IDENTIT Y

Reference in the ICA Purpose: CORRESPONDING STRATEGIC

Promote and protect cooperative INITIATIVES
values and principles
A.1 Reinforce the ICA Statement
CONCEPT on the Cooperative Identity

Cooperative identity is a framework comprising First, the Guidance Notes on the Cooperative
values and principles, together with a Principles, approved at the ICA 2015 General
definition, enshrined in the 1995 ICA Statement Assembly, which serve as an intermediary
on the Cooperative Identity. Without this instrument between the Statement on the
identity, cooperatives would not exist as we Cooperative Identity and such outputs as
know them: an international reality, with a training manuals, legislation, and so on,
single global model, recognized by the UN and will be completed with attention to the
its agencies, and regulated in most countries. cooperative values and definition and will be
widely disseminated. Second, thematic task
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES forces under the ICA Board’s Cooperative
Identity Committee will contest any national or
Stakeholder and public awareness: We international regulation that compromises the
must assertively promote and defend the cooperative identity. Last but no less important,
cooperative identity to legislators, regulators, an ICA 2020 Congress will be convened to
governments, international organisations, the deepen our understanding of the cooperative
public at large, youth, media and others, identity and to celebrate the 125 th Anniversary
conveying the idea that cooperatives are not of the ICA as well as the 25th Anniversary of the
only an entrepreneurial model but also a ICA Statement on the Cooperative Identity.
manifestation of a grassroots capacity to
address social and economic issues. A.2 Promote regulation that
protects the cooperative identity
Institutional support: From international
institutions we seek significant positive Regulation must first of all ensure that
change in the form of active recognition of the cooperatives can preserve and promote
cooperative identity and the incorporation of their identity and that their identity is fully
that recognition into their objectives, programs recognized by regulators. We will seek new
and methodologies, including the global methods of translating the cooperative identity
response to climate change and environmental into legal rules under the advisory guidance
degradation as an integral part of the 7th of the Cooperative Law Committee. We will
Cooperative Principle—Concern for Community. develop a systematic analysis of legislation,
respond to requests from members and provide
Education: We must address from a urgent technical help when specific legislation
multidisciplinary viewpoint the exclusion of is discussed at the national level. We will
cooperatives and the cooperative identity also strongly promote regulatory provisions
from education systems at all levels across establishing cooperative auditing and
the globe: business, political science, history, monitoring aimed at ensuring compliance with
anthropology, sociology, philosophy and the Statement on the Cooperative Identity.
development and environmental studies,
as well as other academic disciplines. This
change should occur at all educational levels,
with cooperatives becoming an element in
elementary and middle-school curricula.

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A.3 Promote identity-related A.5 Promote the cooperative

communication and branding identity within the international
policy agenda
We will present the image of a cooperative
movement that is proud of what it is, one We will promote the cooperative identity within
that shows its pride by maintaining, and even the body of international standards (Universal
intensifying, its own identity as an increasingly Declaration of Human Rights, International
modern and innov ative entrepreneurial Labour Organisation (ILO) labour standards,
movement with a reinforced business etc.) that has gradually been enlarged since
advantage. We will also stimulate intensified the Second World War. We will carry out a
cooperative branding, including the use of the mapping of the main international institutions
.coop domain and the Coop marque, through a that play a strategic role in the elaboration
worldwide communication campaign. of these standards. We will then over time
define an agenda with these institutions for the
A.4 Promote cooperative education promotion of the cooperative identity.

We will promote cooperative education and A.6 Launch an ISO certification

training, including the inclusion of cooperatives based on the cooperative identity
in formal education and research programmes,
as a measure needed to raise the profile of the We will explore cooperative ISO certification,
cooperative identity. Curricular internships, focused on the Statement on the Cooperative
job placement and the formation of school Identity. Certification will require collaboration
cooperatives will be encouraged. between the ICA system and cooperative
organisations at the national level. Certified
cooperatives will be geo-localized in an on-line
platform (see C.1. below).

B . GROW TH OF THE COOPERATIVE MOVEME NT

Reference in the ICA Purpose: Definition of growth: We must define growth in

Promote the world cooperative cooperative entrepreneurship as being for the
movement, based upon mutual purpose of meeting the needs of members, and
self-help and democracy not as growth simply for growth’s sake. We can
achieve this through research that focuses on
CONCEPT the unique nature of growth within cooperative
enterprises as autonomous membership
This strategic theme focuses on the organisations. Our research must identify
international effort within the ICA to promote ways to stimulate the endogenous growth of
the endogenous growth of the cooperative cooperatives as an entrepreneurial reality,
movement. It is thus the most complex and while remaining focused on the social and
multi-faceted of the four themes. economic well-being of the members which
our movement serves.
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
Innovative capacity: We need to tap into
Strengthening the cooperative movement: the synergis tic and entrepreneurial capacity
We must stimulate and motivate the of the cooperative movement to innovate
cooperative movement to unite and grow and to create new knowledge around
through a multitude of avenues, combining emerging products, services and
the involvement of the members, advocacy, markets—in particular, around new
partnerships, research and communications, technology that can be adopted to address
with specific attention to gender equality and social and economic needs in a changing
intergenerational transmission. environment.

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CORRESPONDING series of new institutional relationships with

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES other international organisations. We will
endeavour to form effective partnerships with
B.1 Promote the growth and such civil-society organizations as workers’
involvement of the ICA membership unions, employers’ organizations, chambers
of commerce, women’s organizations,
We will encourage ICA members, especially and environmental NGOs, in addition to
those from weaker organizations, to participate academic and research institutions. We will
in the life of the international cooperative make particular efforts to establish strong
movement, both through global conferences partnerships with other global bodies in the
and regional and sectoral activities and social and solidarity economy (SSE).
through a dedicated Internet platform with We will strive to position ourselves with
access to relevant information in different the organizations of the UN system and to
domains. Simultaneously, we will encourage enhance our collaboration with governments,
the affiliation of the many still unaffiliated including inter-parliamentarian bodies
cooperative organisations, some of which and municipalities, through registrars’ and
have emerged recently in specific sub-regions ministerial conferences.
where membership is weak, and in countries
without ICA members. Finally, members’ B.4 Deepen the policy impact
needs will be properly identified to ensure that of the cooperative movement
their membership provides them with concrete
benefits. A fundamental way to promote the growth of
the cooperative movement as a global actor is
B2. Deepen the coordination through outreach to multilateral organizations
among the ICA entities and governments. The Global Office will focus
mainly on the international organizations of the
We will achieve better coordination among the UN system, as well as other inter-governmental
various ICA entities, based on the principle organizations like the OECD and the G20, while
of subsidiarity. Our fundamental focus will be Regions, Sectoral Organizations, Thematic
directed towards the Regions and Sectoral Committees and the Youth Network will reach
Organizations, covering all fields of common out to their corresponding inter-governmental
interest and jointly managing the issue of the organisations.
regional-sectoral entities. Coordination with the
Thematic Committees and the Youth Network ICA’s policy positioning will be furthered by
will be achieved through a more dynamic engagement on this issue with national
interfacing of these entities with the ICA Board members. Considering policy as one of the
and Global Office and with the Regions and core areas of work for the ICA, we will support
Sectoral Organizations. We will arrange for members’ growing capacity for work with
permanent coordination with such new ICA and advocacy towards multi-lateral actors
working groups as the Think Tank and the IT and national governments both to (a) secure
Network (see C.2. below). conducive policies on the part of international
organisations where the pertaining national
B.3 Extend and deepen global government is a member, and (b) provide
partnerships and alliances members at the national level with instruments
through which they can substantially improve
The transformational capacity of the the policy environment for the development of
cooperative movement throughout the cooperatives.
world will be substantially enhanced by
establishing well-targeted partnerships with Among the key policy topics on which the ICA
multilateral organizations and civil-society must undertake advocacy over this decade,
organizations. We will reinforce the partnership the top priority is the UN Agenda 2030 and its
that exists within COPAC3, while creating a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which

3 Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives, grouping the ICA, the UN, the ILO, the FAO and the World Farmers’
Organization

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The ICA will develop a framework whereby the

cooperative movement as a whole promotes
are discussed under D.3 below. The main areas and supports the grassroots cooperatives and
of cooperation with the ILO will include the their members. At the same time, clear
future of work, the transition from the informal growth criteria regarding cooperatives will be
to the formal economy, and the monitoring developed, based on the economic, social and
of national policies, laws and regulations to cultural needs and aspirations of their
advance and protect the cooperative identity. members.
We will promote the social and solidarity
economy (SSE) at the international level and, There are many new and emerging areas of
in particular, within the UN system, which has cooperative development globally, such as
recognized its significance. We will also utilities, shared services, tourism and travel and
promote the recent recognition of cooperatives elder care and childcare. Each of these areas,
as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. and others such as platform cooperatives, will
require innovative approaches to reach critical
mass.
B.5 Develop global knowledge of
the cooperative movement
Innovative agricultural practices for the global
agricultural cooperative movement will be
To be effective and credible when advocating
necessary in addressing climate action. A
policies conducive to the promotion of specific focus of attention is needed on soil
cooperatives, we need accurate information management, forest conservation and the future
and data. At the same time, we must monitor of food production, distribution and
the progress and impact of our advocacy consumption.
work and the evolution of the cooperative
movement. We will establish a clear research B.7 Building cooperative
strategy, in direct relation with our policy capital among cooperatives
priorities (see B.4. above), with the ICA
Committee on Cooperative Research in its We will establish a global financial
advisory and promotional role, so that the ICA instrument for the growth of cooperatives in
becomes a knowledge-based organization. developing countries, first of all with
The ICA Review of International Cooperation cooperative capital, and with various
will be promoted in this context. We will
international institutions such as the EU and
devote particular efforts to the development
international development banks. The
of mapping and statistics related to
establishment of other international
cooperatives, in order to show the importance
financial instruments will be studied.
of cooperative market share and employment
in general, to better define cooperative
growth, and to estimate the extent to which B.8. Deepen the communication
cooperatives are implementing the SDGs. capacity of the cooperative
Finally, through specific indicators, we will movement
monitor the perception of the cooperative
movement in public opinion, in order to We will produce information for our various
respond to the second part of the Blueprint audiences by developing specific
Vision (“The model preferred by people”). communication tracks directed to the public
and citizens in general, and to the young
public, in an appropriate style, and make a
B.6. Deepen the economic role strong effort to improve our relationship with
of cooperatives the press through developing a network of
journalists. The website system will be given
With the strong involvement of the Regions top priority, with a website formula that is
and Sectoral Organizations, we will carry out flexible and readily modified and a high level
an analysis using the main value chains, of convergence between the websites of the
in order to identify the economic sectors various ICA entities. Another special effort will
and activities with more potential and to be dedicated to social media, both now and as
explore ways to strengthen the they evolve, as they serve as a key channel for
cooperative movement’s leading role in direct communication with members, policy
the global economy, supported with makers and people interested in the
social balance-sheet models and organisation’s mission.
instruments for measurement and
interpretation of data.

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B.9. Deepen the involvement of the

youth

We will direct special efforts towards the Education and capacity building.
issue of intergenerational transmission, Training for women must be
which is fundamental to cooperative modified to give women the tools to
governance concerns and the very survival enter the areas that so far have
of the cooperative movement. The ICA Youth been closed to them. We will develop
Network will be a hub of exchanges that helps gender- equitable criteria for the
member organisations and their own affiliated promotion and evaluation of
cooperatives manage this issue through performance.
governance measures and instruments.
Equality as a goal. We will propose an
We will promote the organisation of meetings approach to human-resources
that will provide opportunities for discussion management, including policies,
about the development of the cooperative actions, indicators and plans for
movement among young cooperative continuous improvement, to reduce
practitioners, youth organisations, young gender gaps in participation and create
researchers and young people who want to more favourable labour and
create cooperatives or join them. participation conditions for women and
men. Protocols for gender equality,
We will promote the inclusion of youth in including those concerned with gender
national cooperative movements and their violence, will also be promoted.
presence on national boards. We will ensure
that youth have a voice and vote and are
engaged in all aspects of the ICA.

Youth cooperatives, which play a vital role in

enabling youth to experiment with our model,
will be promoted internationally in order to
encourage information exchanges and set
goals, such as replication and dissemination
initiatives. School and university cooperatives
will be encouraged and their success or failure
recorded and analysed to understand the
factors to which either is due.

B.10. Promote gender equality

We will promote the following strategic

initiatives, with the Gender Equality Committee
playing a central role:
Participation policies in the decision- making
bodies of cooperatives. Clear rules favouring
the participation of women will be
recommended, including equality policies,
equality committees and affirmative actions
that bring the policies to life and empower
women and men equally. A seal of gender
equity, endorsed by the ICA, will be introduced
for cooperatives that implement programs and
standards that actively maintain gender
equality.

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C. COO PERATIO N AMO NG CO O PER A TIVES

creation of new linkages.

Reference in the ICA Purpose:
Facilitate the development of
economic and other mutually CORRESPONDING STRATEGIC
beneficial relations between its INITIATIVES
member organisations
C.1. Building and
CONCEPT
exchanging knowledge
This theme is a key condition for the very Supported by the ICA database, which
existence of the cooperative movement;
will be considerably improved,
first, it corresponds to one of the
entrepreneurial cooperation among
cooperative principles; second, given the
cooperatives at the international level
necessary ambition of a strategic plan for a
will include many areas, such as
movement representing cooperatives in the
technology, sectoral issues, tenders,
21st Century and the dilemma of
implementing it with limited resources, we value chains, know-how, trade and
need innovative and complex tools. As more, in which cooperatives may
such, cooperation among cooperatives can want to connect with their peers in
be one of the best ways to increase other countries. As a first stage, we
resources, improve the cooperative will develop a platform with a global
identity, promote cooperative directory of cooperatives with geo-
entrepreneurship, conduct more efficient localisation, based on the UN ISIC
advocacy work and come up with a classification system. In a second
unique and distinctive way to respond to stage, we will create forums for
the SDGs. We must strengthen cooperation information exchange, with a specific
among cooperatives and expand cooperative area on value chains and fair trade.
groups and networks with particular
attention to cross-sectoral cooperation. The ICA website will gradually become
a hub of documentation and
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES knowledge on the cooperative
movement all over the world
Proactive identification of (documents, books, reports, videos,
common interests: We need to make web platforms etc.). These inputs to
a commitment to the proactive the intranet will be provided by all
encouragement of cooperation among components of the ICA, using an
architecture that permits the rapid
cooperatives by identifying areas of
retrieval of information without loss of
common interest, such as shared
the added value contributed by each
entrepreneurial projects and jointly
component.
evolved ideas. This can be accomplished
through data collection, mapping and
The ICA will analyse platform
the development of tools and platforms cooperativism within the cooperative
that identify common challenges by movement, properly define its
sector, region and cooperative type. boundaries and characteristics, and
promote the new forms of cooperatives
Data: We need to collaborate throughout it includes. A dedicated working group
the global cooperative movement in creating will identify and report on the actual
value out of the collect processing and use of needs of the global cooperative
data. movement in the field of technology
and the various technical components
Economies of scale: We need to encourage to be considered.
large cooperatives to assist the smaller
in achieving economics of scale through
collaborative programs and networks by
taking a leadership role and facilitating the

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C.2. Deepen the common action of

The World Cooperative Monitor will
large cooperatives and cooperative
provide statistical reference to the think
groups
tank, introducing other analysis criteria
than turnover.
Larger cooperatives and cooperative groups
will be encouraged to come together to
develop new thinking and new strategies,
C.3. Encourage greater support
first of all about themselves and for their
of small and medium
own benefit, especially within the
cooperatives (SMEs)
framework of globalisation, but also for the
cooperative movement in general, as the
Small and medium cooperatives (SMEs) as
larger cooperatives and cooperative groups
well as start-up cooperatives often need
are at the forefront of the cooperative
movement in dealing with globalization. The the support of larger networks of
International Cooperative Entrepreneurship cooperatives to survive and thrive.
Think Tank (ICETT), established in October Larger cooperatives will be encouraged to
2018, will continue to grow, while ensuring support and help scale up smaller ones,
that its contribution is beneficial to the with “tractor” cooperatives that can take
cooperative movement in general. the leadership in such processes and be
facilitators in the construction of links.

TION T GLOBAL
SUSTAI

D. CO NTRIBUTIO N TO GLOBAL From a business perspective, the Business and

SUSTANABLE DEBVELO PMENT Sustainability Development Commission has
identified the SDGs as $12 trillions in opportunities.2

LOPMENT STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Reference in the ICA Purpose:
Promote sustainable human Monitoring: We need to measure and promote
development and to further the the direct contribution of cooperatives to global
economic and social progress sustainable development by identifying key
of people, thereby contributing indicators within the seventeen interdependent
to international peace and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
security against which to measure our economic,
social and environmental impact globally,
CONCEPT regionally, nationally and by sector.

This theme focuses on sustainable

development through cooperatives:
specifically, how cooperatives contribute
to sustainable development and peace, as 2 The Business and Sustainable Development
enshrined in the SDGs, beginning at local and Commission (2019) Better Business, Better World:
regional levels. The SDGs highlight an integral “Achieving the Global Goals opens up US$12 trillion of
part of what cooperatives are all about and market opportunities in the four economic systems
have been doing for decades The international examined by the Commission. These are food and
cooperative movement will use the SDGs to agriculture, cities, energy and materials, and health and
illustrate its continuing contribution to well-being. They represent around 60 percent of the real
sustainable development. economy and are critical to delivering the Global Goals.
To capture these opportunities in full, businesses need to
pursue social and environmental sustainability as avidly as
they pursue market share and shareholder value. If a
critical mass of companies joins us in doing this now,
together we will become an unstoppable force. If they
don’t, the costs and uncertainty of unsustainable
development could swell until there is no viable world in
which to do business”; see:
http://report.businesscommission.org/report
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D.3. Develop advocacy on the SDGs

Reporting: We must conduct
primary and secondary research We will highlight the contribution of
on the contribution of cooperatives to all 17 SDGs, including
cooperatives to global sustainable those in the environment field. Having
development and produce periodic the same time horizon as the strategy
progress reports for wide dissemination that the ICA is to define, Agenda 2030 and
with continuing reference to the 7th the SDGs will be used as a framework
Cooperative Principle, “Concern for to improve the alignment of members’
Community.” sustainable development strategies
with their business priorities and
Promoting development: We must to allow members a) to report on how
create a policy framework and strategy they contribute to the implementation
conducive to sustainable development of the SDGs, b) to monitor their
through cooperatives and coordinate progress throughout the upcoming
the various forces engaged in the decade and c) to use these data
international development of in their advocacy to urge governments
cooperatives to be more supportive of their work.
In parallel, we will build a cooperative
strategy of sustainable development,
CORRESPONDING including an analysis of the specific
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES impacts cooperatives have on
sustainable development.
D.1. Identify indicators
for the contribution of
cooperatives to the D.4. Deepen the cooperative
SDGs movement’s initiatives
. supporting international
We will identify specific indicators in the
development cooperation
various SDGs in order to estimate the
contribution made by cooperatives to
each of them. These indicators Through the ICA-EU Partnership
will be related to those defined by UN Programme, the efforts of the ICA
statisticians. Global Office and Regions to
strengthen cooperatives’ contribution
D.2. Report on the to sustainable development will
contribution of continue, with greater involvement
cooperatives to the SDGs of the sectoral component of the
ICA, based on the above-mentioned
A reporting system will be developed, ICA development policy. We will
based on the above-mentioned support cooperation and coordination
indicators, in order to monitor among international development
the contribution of cooperatives to cooperation agencies specialized in
the SDGs. Examples of cooperatives cooperatives within the International
including links to SDGs in their annual Cooperative Development Platform
reports will be disseminated, (ICDP), through exchange of
integrating these contributions with knowledge and mutual assistance. In
what cooperatives do already. order to advance the international
development of cooperatives, the
ICA will encourage the formation of
a global network of development
practitioners in different parts of the
world.

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Final Considerations
As in the Blueprint for a Cooperative Decade,
the initiatives proposed in this document
correspond to the fundamental economic,
social and environmental needs that are
increasingly expressed by people around the
world. These must be addressed, with a clear
priority given to sustainability and human
concerns.

The cooperative model is a concrete and fully

tested way of meeting people’s economic,
social and cultural needs through democratic
empowerment. Although an estimated 12 per
cent of the world population are members of a
cooperative, most are not aware of the power
and potential of the cooperative movement,
nor how it could transform their lives. Each of
us in the international cooperative movement
has a serious responsibility and a role in making
the cooperative model work in the interest
of the economic, social and environmental
sustainability of humanity and our common
planet.

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ANNEX
Statement on the Cooperative Identity

Definition
A cooperative is an autonomous association Cooperative values
of persons united voluntarily to meet their of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy,
common economic, social and cultural needs equality, equity and solidarity; as well as the
and aspirations through a jointly owned and ethical values of honesty, openness, social
democratically controlled enterprise. responsibility and caring for others.

Cooperative principles
The cooperative principles are guidelines to their transactions with the cooperative; and
by which cooperatives put their values into supporting other activities approved by the
practice. membership.

1st Principle 4th Principle

Voluntary and open membership. Autonomy and independence.
Cooperatives are voluntary organizations, Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help
open to all persons able to use their services organizations controlled by their members.
and willing to accept the responsibilities of If they enter into agreements with other
membership, without gender, social, racial, organizations, including governments, or
political or religious discrimination. raise capital from external sources, they do so
on terms that ensure democratic control by
2nd Principle their members and maintain their cooperative
Democratic member control. autonomy.
Cooperatives are democratic organizations
controlled by their members, who actively 5th Principle
participate in setting their policies and making Education, training and information.
decisions. Men and women serving as elected Cooperatives provide education and training
representatives are accountable to the for their members, elected representatives,
membership. In primary cooperatives members managers, and employees so they can
have equal voting rights (one member, one contribute effectively to the development of
vote) and cooperatives at other levels are also their cooperatives. They inform the general
organized in a democratic manner. public - particularly young people and opinion
leaders - about the nature and benefits of
3rd Principle cooperation.
Member economic participation.
Members contribute equitably to, and 6th Principle
democratically control, the capital of their Cooperation among cooperatives.
cooperative. At least part of that capital Cooperatives serve their members most
is usually the common property of the effectively and strengthen the cooperative
cooperative. movement by working together through local,
Members usually receive limited compensation, national, regional and international structures.
if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of
membership. Members allocate surpluses for 7th Principle
any or all of the following purposes: developing Concern for community.
their cooperative, possibly by setting up Cooperatives work for the sustainable
reserves, part of which at least would be development of their communities through
indivisible; benefiting members in proportion policies approved by their members.

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2020 – 2030 STRATEGIC PLAN

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