News Archive

Statement from the ICA President and Chair of the ICA Gender Equality Committee - "Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all." - is available now in English and Spanish. See also CoopAfrica brochure on women and co-ops in Africa.

ICA is mobilising its members and partners around the world to provide emergency relief and reconstruction assistance to co-operators in Haiti following the devastating earthquake of 12 January 2010. It is co-ordinating efforts to obtain information on co-operators in Haiti and will be making this available as soon as possible. Co-operative movements have already taken action to bring emergency relief and the ICA and others are making appeals to support longer-term co-operative reconstruction efforts. Read full press release. - See updated information including the first commitments made to the ICA Co-operative Reconstruction Fund and information that the Israeli relief team have found and are providing medical assistance to several members and staff of ICA member, Conseil National des Coopératives CNC (National Co-operative Council) located in Port-au-Prince. .

ICA Digest No 68 is now available. The issue includes a report on the important ICA General Assembly, the historic election of the first woman president and resolutions on energy sustainability, climate change, co-operative resilience and peace and nuclear disarmament. There are also reports on the new phase of restructuring - sectoralisation - as well as reports on the many events organised by the ICA sectoral organisations and thematic committees.  It is noted that the UN has proclaimed 2012 International Year of Co-operatives and that the ICA is calling on members and partners to provide emergency relief and reconstruction assistance to co-operators in Haiti.

Following the announcement by Iain Macdonald of his intention to stand down, ICA  is seeking candidates for the position of ICA Director-General and has opened the application period. The DG is responsible for ensuring that the business of the ICA is carried out in accordance with the Values and Principles of the ICA, the ICA Rules and Bye-Laws, and the strategy agreed by the Board. The preferred start date for this position is May 2010 or as soon thereafter as possible. First interviews are likely to begin mid April 2010. Closing date for applications is 8 March 2010. For more information on the position including full job description and contacts for sending applications, please see www.ica.coop/ica/vacancies.html

The 64th United Nations General Assembly will begin discussions on the Year of Co-operatives on 5 October 2009. ICA members are requested to contact their governments to ensure that governments are aware of the upcoming discussions and that these provide instructions to their delegates attending the UN General Assembly to support for the initiative. An International Year of Co-operatives will assist in promoting the co-operative model of enterprise worldwide. More information >>>

Spanish - Español ICA Digest No. 66, Junio / Julio  - Del escritorio del Editora, Últimas Noticias, Informe del Director General, Artículo: Homenaje a Ivano Barberini , Orador Principal en la Asamblea General 2009, Noticias de las Naciones Unidas, Nuevo Informe: La resistencia cooperativa ante la crisis, Noticias de los Sectores, Noticias de las regiones, Noticias de los Miembros, Gente Cooperativa, Calendario.

Messages from the ICA, UN and FAO underline that co-operatives are more resilient to crisis than other forms of enterprise. They are not only surviving the crisis, but also contributing to driving global recovery due to the fact that co-operatives are value based enterprises guided by the Co-operative Values and Principles. However, the ICA warns that only with appropriate policies will co-operatives continue to be able to drive global recovery and thus calls on policy-makers to take into consideration the co-operative enterprise when elaborating regulations and legislation. ICA further calls on co-operators throughout the world to strengthen their commitments to their co-operative values and principles, celebrate their success in these difficult times, and work in partnership to ensure that they continue driving global recovery around the world. See ICA, UN, FAO, IFAP and ILO  messages in various languages.

A new ILO report that was commissioned to the ICA shows that co-operative enterprises around the world are proving resilient to the global economic crisis. The financial and ensuing economic crisis has had negative impacts on the majority of enterprises; however, co-operative enterprises around the world are showing resilience to the crisis. Financial co-operatives remain financially sound; consumer co-operatives are reporting increased turnover; worker co-operatives are seeing growth as people choose the co-operative form of enterprise to respond to new economic realities.

Why is this form of enterprise proving so resilient? The report provides historical evidence and current empirical evidence that proves that the co-operative model of enterprise survives crisis, but more importantly that it is a sustainable form of enterprise able to withstand crisis, maintaining the livelihoods of the communities in which they operate. It further suggests ways in which the ILO can strengthen its activity in the promotion of co-operatives as a means to address the current crisis and avert future crisis. See: www.ica.coop/activities/un/2009-coop-resilience.pdf

The Board of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) has addressed a letter to each of the G-20 governments noting its concern that the G20 at its meeting in April 2009 in London, examines every option in seeking to overcome the current financial crisis and asking that they give serious consideration to the advantages of the co-operative model of business. The ICA Director-General in his cover letter underlined that, "With over 150 years of commercial success in all economic fields, it is our conviction that  co-operative enterprise, with its unique set of values and principles, can provide possible solutions particularly in promoting stability in the global economy."  See the full statement (pdf) and coverletter (pdf).