Cooperatives, in their purpose and their operation, are naturally sustainable organisations and should be a form of business that is encouraged to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Cooperatives are owned and run by its membership, and are built on values that encourage cooperation, empowerment and solidarity, rather than just profits. They are a growing part of the global economy and a key tool for sustainable development.
These facts were highlighted at a side event of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development organised by UN DESA Division of Social Policy and Development (DSPD) and the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement Cooperatives (COPAC) July 11 at UN Headquarters in New York. Member State representatives and leaders from the global cooperatives movement discussed the importance of the business model for achieving the SDGs.
In his opening remarks, International Co-operative Alliance representative Ariel Guarco spoke of the need for countries and international organisations to support sustainable development through cooperatives and the cooperative movement. Cooperatives have over one billion associates globally and currently employ 250 million people. Cooperatives generate 2.2 trillion USD in turnover, roughly equivalent to the GDP of Brazil, while doing business sustainably. Cooperatives are also essential for empowering women, providing social inclusion in business, decent work, poverty eradication and the elimination of hunger.
H.E. Sadique Kebonang, Botswana’s Assistant Minister for Investment, Trade and Industry, spoke about how cooperatives empower women by creating jobs that provide diverse products and services. Permanent Representative of the Mongolian Mission to the UN, H.E. Sukhbold Sukhee, talked about the importance of cooperatives in his home country. Cooperatives make up 20% of Mongolia’s economy and are one of the largest employers. The small and medium enterprises in textiles, mining and the meat industries that work as cooperatives are crucial for Mongolia’s development. He also noted, however, the limitations that Mongolian cooperatives face such as the limited access to markets and credit that are needed to strengthen cooperatives.
While cooperatives are mentioned in the 2030 Agenda as necessary models in the private sector for achieving the SDGs, there are still serious challenges to making cooperatives the leading model in sustainable business. Government policy, lack of access to banking and financial institutions and a late embrace of new technologies and innovation have held cooperatives back in the past from becoming successful enterprises. Speakers throughout the event called on governments, the private sector and civil society to act on encouraging cooperatives through national frameworks and in local communities as a means to achieving the SDGs for the 2030 Agenda.
To learn more about our work on cooperatives at social.un.org/cooperatives
To learn more about the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC), visit copac.coop
Source & Copyright: UNDESA DSPD