Cooperatives
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Social and Solidarity Economy
Recent global economic and political instability has served to underline the shortcomings of our current development system and further confirm the necessity for an alternate or complementary development paradigm. The social and solidarity economy (SSE) is a viable solution to re-balancing economic, social and environmental objectives.
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Strengthening Social and Solidarity Economy in Asia (SSE)The scope, nature and understanding of SSE differs from country to country. In the Asia Pacific region, this knowledge base is still in its initial stages. To support its constituents in overcoming these gaps, the ILO has undertaken an initiative to strengthen national policies - policies that will enable SSE organisations to realise their transformative potential in twelve countries Asia through a 1st (2019-21) and 2nd phase (2021-23) of the project.
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ILO COOP 100 Interviews
ILO COOP 100 Interview series features past and present ILO colleagues and key partners who have closely engaged with the ILO's work on cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy (SSE). The interviews reflect on their experience and contributions in the past and shares their thoughts on the future of cooperatives and the SSE in a changing world of work.
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Cooperatives Principle 3: Participation
The cooperative principles are guidelines by which cooperatives put their values into practice. The fifth in the series of slideshows for ILO COOP 100 focuses on the third cooperative principle on Member Economic Participation. Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative.
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Cooperative Principle 7: Concern for community
The seventh in the series of slideshows highlights the seventh cooperative principle: concern for community. Cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies approved by their members.
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Cooperatives and Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality
ILO’s work on cooperatives and women’s empowerment and gender equality spans across many years and includes policy, research and training activities in order to ensure women’s fuller participation in the functioning and governance of cooperatives, providing opportunities for employment and career advancement for women workers, and enabling access for women members to cooperative resources and services such as education and training, financial services, and child care.
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Cooperatives in Americas
As part of the ILO COOP 100 photo exhibitions, the ILO is featuring the contributions of cooperatives and the wider SSE to advancing decent work and sustainable development. The tenth in the series of slideshows highlights cooperative action in the Americas.
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Cooperatives in Asia
As part of the ILO COOP 100 photo exhibitions, the ILO is featuring the contributions of cooperatives and the wider SSE to advancing decent work and sustainable development. The ninth in the series of slideshows highlights cooperative and wider social and solidarity economy (SSE) enterprises in Asia.
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Photo competition & exhibits
ILO launched a call for photos to commemorate the centenary of its Cooperatives Unit (COOP). The selected photos are being featured through slideshows on a range of topics, and made available through the ILO website and social media.
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ILO COOP turns 100 - Cooperating for social justice since 1920
In 2020, the ILO's Cooperatives Unit celebrates its centenary. During the course of the year, there will be series of events, publications, and a photo exhibit to commemorate this anniversary. These activities will not only be looking back in history but also reflecting on the future of cooperation and the role of the ILO in contributing to it.

The ILO views cooperatives as important in improving the living and working conditions of women and men globally as well as making essential infrastructure and services available even in areas neglected by the state and investor-driven enterprises. Cooperatives have a proven record of creating and sustaining employment – they are estimated to provide at least 279 million jobs today; they contribute to promoting decent work and advancing sustainable development goals. The ILO activities are guided by the international standard on cooperatives, the ILO Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation, 2002 (No.193).
Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General, International Day of Cooperatives 2020
What's new
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Spotlight Interviews with Co-operators
Mr Melih Toprak and Mr Fatih Polattimur, Trade Experts at the Ministry of Trade
18 May 2022
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News
Exchanges with the international cooperative movement on the ILO’s Promotion of Cooperatives Recommendation and the ILC discussion on decent work and the social and solidarity economy
17 May 2022
Spotlight interview with co-operators
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Mr Melih Toprak and Mr Fatih Polattimur, Trade Experts at the Ministry of Trade
18 May 2022
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Sonia George, General Secretary of Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), Kerala
28 March 2022
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Francesca Ottolenghi, Chief of International Relations, EU Policies, International Development Cooperation and Internationalization Office, and Chief of Sustainability and Cooperation Office Legacoop in Italy
15 February 2022
COOP Champions
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COOP Champions
Ayşe Turunç Kankal, ILO Office for Turkey in Ankara
21 October 2021
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.
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COOP Champions
Tendy Gunawan, National Programme Officer at ILO Jakarta
26 April 2021
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.
Videos
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The role of cooperatives in forced displacement (Short Version)
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ILO Social and Solidarity Economy in South Africa
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Exploring Social and Solidarity Economy’s (SSE) Development in Asia
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1 minute video - Statement by the ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy for the International Day of Cooperatives - 3 July 2021
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4 minute video - Statement by the ILO Deputy Director-General for Policy for the International Day of Cooperatives - 3 July 2021
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The COVID-19 response: Cooperatives and other SSE organizations
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ILC Daily Show June 17th 2021
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Cooperatives and the Wider Social Economy Response to the Future of Work
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Technical Webinar: the role of cooperatives and SSEOs in forced displacement contexts
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ILO COOP 100 Video
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Video message from Ariel Guarco, President of ICA for the #ILOCOOP100
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ILO Director General opening message for ILO COOP 100 Symposium
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The role of Cooperatives and SSE in the COVID-19 response
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ILO at Expo 2020: How cooperatives are transforming rural lives and livelihoods
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ILO COOP for the Graduation Ceremony of My.COOP Online Training of Trainers in Jordan
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ILO COOP Speech - ICA-HLPF side event, sharing benefits & Youth
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ILO Director-General’s statement for the International Day of Cooperatives 2020
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Cooperatives for Climate Action - International Day of Cooperatives 2020
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ILO Statistics on Cooperatives
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ILO Our.Coop Training Package
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More ILO videos on cooperatives