Co-operative News

The Confederation of Co-operative Housing (CCH) has helped Starley Housing Co-op in Coventry secure a retrofit grant worth £40,000 from the Midlands Net Zero Hub Community Energy Fund. CCH says the success “unlocks the next steps of a co-operative-wide feasibility study”.

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Housing co-op apex CCH helps member secure £40k retrofit grant The Confederation of Co-operative Housing has helped Starley Housing Co-op secure a £40k retrofit grant which will help 65 tenants decarbonise their homes as the co-op works to reach net zero

More than 2,100 people have signed an online petition calling for a rescue of Canada’s BC Tree Fruits Cooperative, which has collapsed owing CA$50m. The petition, addressed to David Eby, premier of the British Columbia provincial government, agriculture minister Pam Alexis and members of the legislative assembly, says the loss of the co-op leaves farmers with “no one to market, store and sell table grapes, apples and pear fruit”, adding that the model offers their best protection in a volatile market hit by years of bad weathe

Petition launched to save Canadian fruit growers co-op from bankruptcy More than 2,100 people have signed an online petition calling for a rescue of Canada’s BC Tree Fruits co-operative, which has collapsed owing CA$50m. The petition, addressed to David Eby, premier of the British Columbia provincial government, agriculture minister Pam

The Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society – the apex for the country's farming – appointed a new chair, Ror Christie, at its AGM on 13 August. Andy McGowan, another familiar face in the Scottish agri sector, takes on the vice chair role.

Scottish farm co-ops apex SAOS appoints new chair The Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) appointed a new chair, Rory Christie, at its AGM on 13 August.

Brazil’s annual congress for credit co-operatives, Concred, brought together over 6,000 in-person and online participants to explore the role of finance hashtag as sustainable and inclusive economic models. Challenges under discussion included sustainability, new technology and ways to drive market growth.

Brazilian credit union congress shows the sector's strength The conference featured sessions on tech innovation, macroeconomic challenges, regulation and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals

BBC documentary on uses Barcelona's Sostre Civic housing co-op as a case study, as it discusses options for how humans can live sustainably on Earth without worsening its ecological crisis.

BBC degrowth documentary features Sostre Civic housing co-op Proponents of degrowth favour the democratisation of the economy and collectively managing key resources - including through housing co-ops.

Irish and Vietnamese government bodies collaborate to help the Vietnamese farm sector adopt climate-friendly, resilient practices and increase the added value of produce through agri

Ireland and Vietnam collaborate to drive innovation in agri co-ops The partnership aims to drive innovation and quality improvement, two key priorities of Vietnam's agricultural co-operatives.

The International Labour Organization delivers lessons in hashtag working to farmers in Laos, in a project backed by the Japanese government and Coop Okinawa

Farmers in Laos given lessons in the power of co-operation The International Labour Organization, working with the Japanese government, is using its co-op training tools to help drive rural development

Research from COOP DE FRANCE into gender equality finds that men earn 11.2% more than women in French , compared to 17.9% in the rest of the private economy

Research from Coop France looks at gender equality in nation’s co-ops Men earn 11.2% more than women in co-operatives, compared to 17.9% in the rest of the private economy

Lincolnshire Co-op says its Tackling Hunger campaign will see thousands of pounds worth of money and resources donated to a range of causes, all geared up to reducing food insecurity

Lincolnshire Co-op donates thousands to hunger initiative Lincolnshire Co-op says its Tackling Hunger campaign will see thousands of pounds worth of money and resources donated to a range of causes, all geared up to reducing food insecurity. The society is supporting local breakfast clubs, food banks, and

CICOPA, Weigo, StreetNet International and HomeNet International weigh in on the implications for the sector as International Labour Organization conference urges more support for

ILO conference resolution urges support for care co-ops International Labour Organization conference stresses the need for decent work for people employed in social care around the world

We catch up with Emma Back from Equal Care Co-op – a platform co-op providing a democratic, people-led alternative to the privatised system.

‘We have built up enough experience to know that the way we do care and support is significantly better than the norm.’

Social care for the people it's supposed to serve How the UK's Equal Care co-op is pioneering a democratic model of social care as an alternative to a failing private sector system

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Japanese government have concluded a development project supporting agricultural workers and their co-ops in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It helped 269 farmers, including 117 women, to develop sustainable agricultural and business practices

ILO project with Japanese government supports Palestinian co-ops The project helped 269 farmers, including 117 women, to develop sustainable agricultural and business practices

Lambeth GP Food Co-op launches new website to improve user experience, increase accessibility and widen its reach.

Lambeth GP Food Co-op launches new website to improve accessibility The co-op which operates community veg gardens and local NHS sites, has relaunched its website to improve accessibility and expand its reach

What can worker-led models do to improve a failing home care system? We speak to Ireland's The Great Care Co-op, which promises 'great care and great jobs' with a alternative to the private sector

Irish co-op brings home a new model of social care A decentralised, democratic worker-owned alternative to the private sector, promising 'great care and great jobs'

Scotmid Coop is backing the It'll Cost You Campaign to tackle underage drinking, led by Police Scotland, the Scottish Alcohol Industry Partnership and Community Alcohol Partnerships

Scotmid Co-op joins campaign to tackle underage drinking The retail society has partnered with police, alcohol industry and community organisations on the It'll Cost You! campaign

The UK movement has reasserted its values after a wave of far-right and violence across the UK. Sector organisations Co-operatives UK and Co-op Foundation condemned the attacks, as did smaller co-ops like October Books. Rochdale Boroughwide Housing pledged to support vulnerable tenants and stated a zero tolerance policy on racism.

Meanwhile retail co-ops the Co-op Group, Southern Co-op and Central Co-op Food told the News of their efforts to support colleagues in affected areas. “Co-op has stated that it is an anti-racist and inclusive organisation, and we mean it,” said the Group.

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Co-op movement responds to wave of riots across UK The movement has reasserted its values, with apex Co-operatives UK stating: 'Any form of racism and discrimination is completely unacceptable'

How young German co-operators are working to reshape the movement through , a vehicle for regulatory reform and start-up support.

Carla Young, a researcher from the Institute for Ecological Economy Research in Berlin, reports from its recent barcamp event.

GenoDigital barcamp gathers a new generation of co-operators Researcher Carla Young reports from an open conference where young co-operators looked at ways to build a collaborative economy

Nepal’s government is pledging action on the national embezzlement scandal as protesters continue to take to the streets

Nepalese government prioritises co-op fraud issue amid protests A parliamentary committee was set up in May to investigate co-op fraud, make recommendations and fast-track refunds to depositors.

A look at how the UK movement is working to engage the next generation of young leaders – including Co-operatives UK's Youth Advisory Group, the worker sector's Young Co-operators' Network, and youth networks at the Co-opGroup and The Midcounties Co-operative

'If you haven’t grabbed our attention in 10 seconds, we’ll swipe,‘ warns Aaliyah Likuluta of youth organisation Ingeus – but co-ops need to join the online conversation.

Young co-operators: Leaders of tomorrow, leading today A look at youth co-op networks set up in the UK by apex bodies and retail societies as the movement looks to engage a new generation of cooperators

European organisations Cooperatives Europe and Copa-Cogeca respond to leadership changes in the European Union

Co-ops weigh in on European Union leadership changes Hungary has taken over the European Council's rotative Presidency just as the next institutional cycle is about to start

Glasgow's Hawthorn Housing Co-op is using funds from the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s Community Benefit Fund – made in partnership with Lintel Trust – to improve public amenities in the Possilpark area

Glasgow housing co-op secures £80k grant to improve community facilities Hawthorn Housing Co-op will use the Scottish Procurement Alliance cash to create a play park with fitness equipment and cycling paths

The Co-op Foundation – the charitable arm of the Co-op Group – has announced the partners for round three of its Carbon Innovation Fund (CIF).

It has chosen seven organisations across the UK which are “developing innovative ways to grow the food we need without damaging precious UK peatlands”.

Co-op Foundation issues funds to food growers who avoid damaging peatlands Seven partners have been found to deliver projects backed by the Foundation's Carbon Innovation Fund

A four-year, US$10m project led by the World Council of Credit Unions, backed by USAID, aims to strengthen credit unions in Ukraine and boost lending to small businesses.

Woccu launches scheme to boost credit union business lending in Ukraine The Woccu project aims to expand access to finance through credit unions for start-up initiatives and existing businesses in Ukraine

and the wider social and solidarity economy are providing essential products and services for this year's Olympic Games - from design consultancy and engineering to finance.

How are co-ops contributing to the Olympic Games? Around 25% of Olympic contracts were awarded to 500 social and solidarity economy or local enterprises in various sectors.

Report from this year's World Credit Union Conference, held in Boston recently, with discussion of challenges facing the sector, ongoing regulatory issues, the need for innovation and good leadership, and the implications of AI for the sector.

World Council of Credit Unions

World Credit Union Conference looks at innovation, AI and empathy The conference was hosted by the World Council of Credit Unions and America’s Credit Unions, the country’s apex for credit unions.

‘We need more politicians to understand co-ops and put in policies that help create co-ops and help them be successful’

We interview Vernon Oakes, radio host at Everything.Coop, the leading weekly national radio programme for the US co-operative community, who will this year be inducted by the National Cooperative Business Association CLUSA International into the US Cooperative Hall of Fame.

Meet… Vernon Oakes, co-operative advocate and radio host 'We need more politicians to understand co-ops and put in policies that help create co-ops and help them be successful'

Suma Wholefoods co-operative has published its 2023 Sustainability Report, detailing the progress it has made towards its sustainability strategy over the past year.

Suma Wholefoods co-op publishes annual sustainability data Suma aims to reach net zero scope one and two emissions by 2035