News, stories and statements on cooperatives

  1. News

    ILO SSE Academy in Seoul concluded successfully

    10 July 2017

    The 8th edition of the ILO SSE Academy took place in Seoul, the Republic of Korea from 26 to 30 June. Over 150 participants from more than 30 countries exchanged their experiences, best practices and challenges under the theme “Innovative ecosystems for SSE public policies: A contribution to the future of work”.

  2. COOP Champions

    Özge Berber-Agtaş, ILO Office for Turkey in Ankara

    06 July 2017

    COOP Champions features ILO colleagues from around the world working on cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy enterprises. It highlights their contributions, and shares highlights of their experiences, current work, and future aspirations.

  3. News

    ILO celebrates the International Day of Cooperatives by focusing on workers in the informal economy

    04 July 2017

    The United Nations’ International Day of Cooperatives (IDC) is held annually on the first Saturday of July. For this occasion, the ILO organised an event, recognizing the theme of the 2017 IDC, “cooperatives leave no one behind”, with a focus on the role and potential of cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy organizations and enterprises providing a pathway to formalization for those working in the informal economy. The event was also an opportunity to launch a new report by the ILO and WIEGO, titled “Cooperation among workers in the informal economy: A focus on home-based workers and waste pickers”.

  4. International Day of Cooperatives

    Cooperatives help to build inclusive economies and societies

    01 July 2017

    "Let us draw on the strengths of cooperatives as we pool efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda and make sure that no one is left behind," says ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.

  5. News

    ILO COOP eNewsUpdate No. 5, June 2017

    29 June 2017

    This latest issue of the ILO COOP Newsletter highlights a number of recent events and developments on cooperatives.

  6. News

    The new landmark recommendation recognises cooperatives’ role toward building peace and resilience

    26 June 2017

    The 106th ILC adopted the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205) which includes reference to the role of cooperatives and other social economy initiatives.

  7. News

    Promoting social inclusion through social and solidarity economy

    23 June 2017

    On June 1st, the ILO participated and presented in the "Conference on the Role of the Social and Solidarity Economy in Reducing Social Exclusion" in Budapest on the institution's ongoing work on social and solidarity economy.

  8. News

    Domestic workers in Trinidad and Tobago develop a business plan for their cooperative

    22 June 2017

    On May 12 to 13, the ILO organised a workshop with domestic workers and their union in Trinidad and Tobago to develop a business plan for their cooperative. The workshop used the C-BED methodology, a low cost, action-based and participatory group learning approach designed by the ILO to help entrepreneurs and micro-business owners in planning and improving their businesses.

  9. News

    Highlights of an Interview with Jean Louis Bancel at the 106th ILC

    13 June 2017

    Jean Louis Bancel, the recently elected Cooperatives Europe President, participated in the 106th International Labour Conference representing the International Cooperative Alliance. ILO COOP talked with Jean Louis who is also the President of Credit Cooperative, a cooperative bank in France, and the President of Coop France. Below are highlights from that conversation ranging from the relation between cooperatives and the social economy to the changing world of work.

  10. News

    Reflecting on the relevance of cooperatives to the topics of discussion at the 106th ILC

    12 June 2017

    On the second day of the 106th International Labour Conference, the COOP Unit was invited to make a presentation to the African government group on the relevance of cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy enterprises with regard to the main topics of discussion at the conference.