Co-op News November 2022

Co-op gatherings look for options
as a global crisis deepens
CONNECTING, CHAMPIONING AND
CHALLENGING THE GLOBAL CO-OP
MOVEMENT SINCE 1871
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Rebecca Harvey I rebecca@thenews.coop
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Miles Hadfield I miles@thenews.coop
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It's been conference season for the co-op movement, keeping us busy this
month at Co-op News and ensuring that this edition is packed with event
reports. There's a common thread that runs through these gatherings:
response to crisis. With the world looking set to miss its 1.SC climate target
by some distance, no end in sight to the war in Ukraine and the economic
chaos it has unleashed, and living costs running out of control, there was
much to focus minds. Even at the Labour and Co-op Party conferences,
where speakers managed to have some fun at the expense of the doomed
Liz Truss premiership, the main focus was on the challenges to be faced if
the next election goes their way (p33-37).
The co-op movement has long trumpeted its ability to deal with challenges
around equality, sustainability and climate, if only it is given the chance,
and various sector events expanded on this theme. In the US, NCBA
CLUSA's Impact conference looked at local and international development
(p30-32); in Manchester, Ways Forward argued for a more radical stance -
although some argued that there are areas, such as utilities provision,
where the state is better suited than co-ops to lead the way (p38-39).
Mondiacult, a Unesco side conference, explored how co-ops can mobilise
the creative sector to protect local identities from neoliberal forces
(p26-27); the Global Innovation Summit looked at how co-ops can
respond to climate change (p28-29) and, taking things right down to the
specifics of one sector in one country, the UK Confederation of Co-op
Housing (CCH) conference asked how the UN's sustainable development
goals can be embedded into our homes (p40-41).
CCH CEO Blase Lambert also stressed the importance of inter co-op learning.
Clearly there is a lot of knowledge and experience co-ops can share. With
that in mind, the Co-op Councils Innovation Network headed to the Basque
Country (Spain) to visit the Mondragon Corporation, a federation of worker
co-ops which has formed the cornerstone of a resilient and innovative local
economy. Council representatives were keen to find examples to replicate
at home - and learned that Mondragon was born from a regional crisis
every bit as daunting as those facing the world today (p42-43).
There's also a look at Scotmid Co-op's colleague growth programme (p46-
47), news of much-needed co-op legislation in progress in the UK (p12),
and, to round things off on a lighter note, our Christmas gift guide (p44-45).
MILES HADFIELD - DIGITAL EDITOR
Co-operative News is printed using vegetable oil-based inks
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