On 6 July the global co-operative movement will celebrate the 30th International Day of Cooperatives recognized by the United Nations, which is the 102nd International Cooperative Day overall. The 2024 edition comes with the theme “Cooperatives Building a Better Future for All”.
It is the ideal opportunity for our diverse movement to showcase cooperatives’ current and historical success in generating inclusive and sustainable growth and in advancing the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Being one of the world’s oldest and largest business networks, for the 180 years since the Rochdale Pioneers the cooperative movement has been at the forefront of transformative and accelerated change. Applying a people-centered model, based on values and principles, cooperatives safeguard community relations, enhance local resources, advocate for social responsibility, and adopt sustainable and long-term business practices.
Consumer cooperatives are an integral part of this process, as CCW members work daily to improve the lives of 75,000,000 member-owners in 23 countries across the globe. Our success goes beyond the impressive economic result. We fight environmental degradation and we foster social cohesion and inclusion. We serve our individual members and care for local communities by increasing food availability and affordability, which is crucial in current times of financial challenges. To do so, we collaborate with our partners across the value chain to transition to resilient and sustainable food systems.
The 2023 UN Secretary-General Report on Cooperatives in Social Development acknowledges cooperatives as enablers of economic and social development, especially of marginalised social groups. The UN calls on national governments to support cooperatives in view of increasing their social, environmental and economic contributions.
In recognition of these and many other achievements across the co-op economy, the United Nations has declared 2025 as the second International Year of Cooperatives. Undoubtedly, this shall increase the global awareness and visibility of our model and it shall provide an impetus for our collaboration with policymakers.
