The ICA CCR Europe 2021 Conference that took place between 7-9 July, 2021 focused on “Cooperatives in Transition Facing Crisis”. It was intended to deepen the understanding of the resilience of cooperatives in the face of crises. The Conference explored how cooperatives address current global issues and challenges, such as improving sustainable development, reducing income and wealth inequality, enhancing gender equality and offering a future with decent work. The competitive advantage of cooperative democracy, business performance, market share, best governance and digital capabilities were also explored in the programme. In addition, the Conference marked the 100th anniversary of the International Review of Social Economy or Recma. Founded in 1921 by Charles Gide and Bernard Lavergne, Recma is one of the oldest peer-reviewed journals dedicated to work on cooperation and social economy.

ILO COOP Manager Simel Esim provided a video message for the conference, noting that the topic of the ICA CCR European research conference is very timely and relevant as the world continues to face the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic. She suggested that the research conference theme is also well aligned with the theme of this year’s International Day of Cooperatives on “Cooperatives for building a people-centred and environmentally just recovery”.

She mentioned that research documenting the role of cooperatives in the public health, social and economic crises around the pandemic is going to be crucial to inform policies and programmes to rebuilding back from the crises. She suggested that the role played by health and care cooperatives and how they managed the crises, will most likely to help create awareness about this business and organizational model and its utilization in the health and care sector. She concluded by mentioning the value of the existing research on cooperatives and wider social and solidarity economy in informing the upcoming general discussion at the 110th International Labour Conference on the social and solidarity economy for a human-centered future of work.

ILO COOP video message for the ICA CCR Europe research conference can be viewed here.

The programme for the research conference can be viewed here.