Resources on cooperatives

  1. Cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy as vehicles to decent work in the culture and creative sector

    28 October 2021

    Recognizing the important role that the creative economy plays in social and economic progress, the UN General Assembly declared 2021 as the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development. The culture and creative sector (CCS), includes music production, movies, theatres and radio broadcasting, with many artists in the sector working in informal and precarious arrangements. With the COVID-19 pandemic, existing vulnerabilities have been further exacerbated, calling for attention to socially innovative organizing and business models in CCS. Social and solidarity economy (SSE) units, including cooperatives, mutuals, associations, foundations and social enterprises, can provide value and principle based services and livelihoods options to CCS workers. In light of the upcoming general discussion on SSE for a human-centred future of work at the 110th Session of the International Labour Conference, this brief highlights how SSE units in the CCS can contribute to advancing rights at work, improving quality of jobs, ensuring access to social protection, and fostering local economic development

  2. Development of a Social Economy Policy in South Africa (Government of Flanders & National Economic Development Department of South Africa)

    19 July 2016

    This project seeks to take advantage of the favourable conditions for developing a social economy policy for South Africa, following the implementation of a range of projects that have enhanced existing knowledge and built a community of actors and agencies committed to growing and developing this sector.