Driving global recovery through co-operatives

87^th ICA International Co-operative Day

15^th UN International Day of Cooperatives

(4 July 2009)

"Driving global recovery through co-operatives"

This year the theme of the International Day highlights
the opportunities for co-operatives to highlight
how they not only promote economic growth,
but also promote their ethical values of honesty,
openness, social responsibility and caring
for others. It underlines the fact that co-operatives
are enterprises that can effectively
contribute to global economic recovery, but
also that these enterprises will do so in respect
of the co-operative values and principles which
guide their operations.

The theme focuses on recovery rather than crisis
but allows stakeholders to address the response
of the co-operative movement to crisis - financial,
food, values. However, it is key to be reminded
that co-operatives
serve their members needs in both good and
bad times whether it be economically, socially
and/or culturally. They are not tools to address
crisis, but a sustainable form of enterprise
that outlives crisis and drives recovery.