Resources on cooperatives

  1. Reflecting on the relevance of cooperatives to the topics of discussion at the 106th ILC

    12 June 2017

    On the second day of the 106th International Labour Conference, the COOP Unit was invited to make a presentation to the African government group on the relevance of cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy enterprises with regard to the main topics of discussion at the conference.

  2. ILO COOP eNewsUpdate No. 1, February 2017

    14 February 2017

    The ILO Cooperatives Unit launched its eNewsletter on 1 July 2016, this electronic newsletter replaces the previous paper version. The newsletter includes articles on various events, projects, training and meetings related to the work of the ILO and Cooperatives.

  3. A social enterprise creating job opportunities for migrants and disadvantaged persons in Berlin

    09 February 2017

    "Spotlight Interviews with Cooperators" is a series of interviews with leaders of cooperatives and social and solidarity economy enterprises (SSEEs) from around the world with whom ILO officials have crossed paths during the course of their work with cooperatives and SSEEs. For this issue ILO interviewed Ms Heike Birkhölzer, a founding member and the Chief Executive Officer of the Graefewirtschaft established in 2009 in Berlin, Germany.

  4. ILO resources on cooperative responses to migrant and refugee situations

    06 February 2017

    Last year there were an estimated 244 million international migrants representing 3.3 per cent of the global population – over 150 million of these were migrant workers. In addition, there are over 65 million people forcibly displaced by conflict, violence and human rights violations of which 21.3 million are recognized as refugees and registered asylum seekers. Cooperatives are well-placed to provide a part of the response to both refugee and labour migration situations. In fact, cooperative interventions have been used to deliver on refugee situations across the world in recent years.

  5. ILO COOP NewsUpdate, Issue No. 6

    20 December 2016

  6. Cooperative housing for refugees in Greece

    09 December 2016

    “Spotlight Interviews with Cooperators" is a series of interviews with cooperative leaders from around the world with whom ILO officials have crossed paths during the course of their work with cooperatives. For this issue, ILO interviewed Ms Polina Gkioka, Vice President of Wind of Renewal, a social cooperative in Greece. She joined the cooperative in October 2014 as one of the founding members.

  7. ILO COOP NewsUpdate, Issue No. 5

    17 November 2016

  8. Cooperative response to migrant and refugee situations

    14 November 2016

  9. Helping Syrian refugees formalize their work status through cooperatives

    26 June 2016

    The ILO is working with agricultural cooperatives to help Syrian refugees obtain work permits during a three-month grace period announced by the government of Jordan, in a further step to improve access of Syrian refugees to the formal labour market.

  10. Cooperatives Responses to Refugee Crises

    26 February 2016

    At a time of the biggest humanitarian crisis since World War II, cooperatives may be able to play a critical role in alleviating suffering by offering vital services not otherwise available in the local economy or in refugee camps, while providing job opportunities, potential training and long term community benefits.