Publications and tools on cooperatives

July 2019

  1. Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 - Cooperative contributions to SDG 14

    26 July 2019

    This brief is part of the Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 series produced by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC). Through a series of 17 briefs, one for each Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), COPAC hopes to raise awareness about the significant contributions of cooperative enterprises towards achieving the 2030 Agenda in a sustainable, inclusive and responsible way, and encourage continued support for their efforts. This brief in the series focuses on This brief focuses on SDG 14 – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

June 2019

  1. Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 - Cooperative contributions to SDG 16

    21 June 2019

    This brief is part of the Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 series produced by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC). Through a series of 17 briefs, one for each Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), COPAC hopes to raise awareness about the significant contributions of cooperative enterprises towards achieving the 2030 Agenda in a sustainable, inclusive and responsible way, and encourage continued support for their efforts. This brief in the series focuses on This brief focuses on SDG 16 – Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.

  2. Cooperatives and the World of Work

    18 June 2019

    As the world of work and jobs is more uncertain than ever through the rise of robotics and the gig economy, Co-operatives and the World of Work furthers the debate on the future of work, sustainable development, and the social and solidarity economy of which cooperatives are a fundamental component.

May 2019

  1. Cooperatives & Social Solidarity Economy - Responses to key issues in the report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work

    27 May 2019

    This note was prepared by the Cooperatives Unit in the Enterprises Department of the ILO. It provides reflections on the role of cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy on the key issues included in the Report of the Global Commission on the Future of Work.

  2. Social Finance Working Paper #76: Rokin Banks - 70 years of efforts to build an inclusive society in Japan through enhancing workers’ access to finance

    01 May 2019

    This working paper documents the experience of Japanese union-led cooperative financial institutions and trade unions in enhancing workers’ access to finance. The working paper highlights 70 years of experience of Rokin Banks in providing access to finance for workers, and in particular low income workers. The paper reviews the factors that contributed to the success and longevity of the model as well as the strategies that Rokin Banks chose to address the challenges of a changing labour movement, a changing world of work, and a highly competitive financial sector. This working paper was produced in close collaboration with the National Association of Labour Banks in Japan and the ILO Office for Japan.

January 2019

  1. Cooperatives and the ready-made garment supply chain

    25 January 2019

    Although the contribution of cooperatives in the garment sector has not been quantified, cooperatives of all sizes operate along the garment supply chain including in agriculture, textile and apparel production, retail and supporting functions. Most garment production and manufacturing sites are located in developing countries. For the purpose of this brief, we will refer to three types of cooperatives, according to the type of members: producers, workers and users.

December 2018

  1. Enterprises Newsflash No.12

    21 December 2018

  2. Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 - Cooperative contributions to SDG 3

    20 December 2018

    This brief is part of the Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 series produced by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC). Through a series of 17 briefs, one for each Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), COPAC hopes to raise awareness about the significant contributions of cooperative enterprises towards achieving the 2030 Agenda in a sustainable, inclusive and responsible way, and encourage continued support for their efforts. This brief in the series focuses on SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all

October 2018

  1. Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 - Cooperative contributions to SDG 2

    16 October 2018

    This brief is part of the Transforming our world: A cooperative 2030 series produced by the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC). Through a series of 17 briefs, one for each Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), COPAC hopes to raise awareness about the significant contributions of cooperative enterprises towards achieving the 2030 Agenda in a sustainable, inclusive and responsible way, and encourage continued support for their efforts. This brief focuses on SDG 2 – ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture.

  2. Statistics on Cooperatives Country in Focus: Australia

    08 October 2018

    Countries in Focus on Statistics of Cooperatives is a series produced by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC) as part of a larger initiative to increase understanding of the ways in which countries around the world are producing and using statistics on cooperatives. Currently reliable and comparable statistics on cooperatives are missing in most countries of the world. These statistics are essential to measure the impact of cooperatives on their members and the economy as a whole.