2025: The International Year of Co-operatives
For us here in the UK, the second International Year of Co-operatives could not come at a better time.
As has been widely reported, the Labour Government has committed to doubling the size of the co-operative and mutual sector. The work has already started, with the movement uniting behind the pledge and mobilising to support it.
The International Year of Co-operatives gives our sector an opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of co-operation, in social, economic and environmental areas, from across the globe, and to highlight the ways in which they can contribute to a brighter global future, supporting inclusive growth at scale, and local community resilience.
The Objectives of the Year are to:
Raise Public Awareness – highlight the contributions of cooperatives to sustainable development.
Promote Growth and Development – strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and establishments for cooperatives.
Advocate for Supportive Frameworks – encourage the creation of enabling legal and policy environments for cooperatives globally.
Inspire Leadership – foster purposeful leadership and engage youth in the cooperative movement.
Doubling the size of this vibrant and driven sector will require strengthening of national support infrastructure – there will need to be more co-operative development workers more co-operative support.
We look forward to a stronger ecosystem for co-operatives, and to working with co-ops from across the UK this year, and beyond, as they build better futures for their communities