Articles

Imagine 2012: Opening session sets agenda of co-operative economics

AnthonyMurray — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 00:09:15 +0000

A conference that brings together economic leaders of co-operative businesses around the world has opened in Quebec.

Oldham council brings ‘power to the people’

Emily Barker — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 10:25:40 +0000

OLDHAM Council has launched a new Energy Co-operative scheme; encouraging residents to collectively bulk buy their energy to save on bills.

New regulations for 3,800 credit co-operatives across Spain

Anca — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:54:50 +0000

More than 3,800 co-operatives from Spain will be affected by new regulations in the credit union sector.

Singapore’s co-ops celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives

Emily Barker — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:46:25 +0000

This has been an eventful year for co-operatives in Singapore and around the world. The United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives (IYC), as the movement seeks to raise the profile and promote the growth and formation of co- operatives worldwide.

Singapore Minister backs the strength of co-op business model

Emily Barker — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:43:48 +0000

The Singapore co-operative movement was highly praised by Mr Chan Chun Sing, Acting Minister, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports at their International Year of Co-operatives Regional Conference on 3 October.

NCBA calls for small business administration lending programmes for food co-ops

Anca — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:11:36 +0000

The National Cooperative Business Association is advocating for changes to small business administration (SBA) regulations in order to enable co-operatives to gain access to SBA lending programmes. The NCBA has already raised the issue with the Obama Administration during the White House Community Leaders Briefing in May.

Imagine 2012: Saturday – Co-operators come to Canada

Emily Barker — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:05:18 +0000

Quebec City, Canada, will become a hot bed of co-operation for the following seven days, as thousands of co-operators and co-op leaders descend on the city for two of the biggest co-op events of the year.

Co-operatives high on the agenda of the Cyprus Presidency

Anca — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:03:20 +0000

On September 28-29, 2012 the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU hosted a high-level cooperative conference in Nicosia as part of the EU’s contributions to the UN International Year of Co-operatives. Around 200 participants attended the event, which was organised by Co-operatives Europe and the Cypriot Authority for the Supervision and Development of Co-operative Societies.

Co-operation is key to fighting corruption

Anca — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:38:35 +0000

The International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec will be a good opportunity to promote transparency through co-operation, believes Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International (TI).

Co-operators must raise their voice amid Eurozone Crisis

Emily Barker — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 09:36:03 +0000

Co-operative financial institutions should play a bigger part in the recovery of the European and global economy; was the key message in a speech made by International Co-operative Alliance President, Dame Pauline Green at a Conference of the European Union Presidency in Cyprus this morning.

Co-ops awarded £250,000 to test Government Green Deal

Emily Barker — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:47:03 +0000

Two green co-ops in Manchester, UK, are taking a community approach to a new Government incentive to help residents reduce their carbon emissions.

Manchester Co-operatives excited to celebrate Co-operatives United

Emily Barker — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 10:53:48 +0000

Co-operatives from Manchester shared their excitement for the upcoming Co-operatives United conference in October, at a ‘Meet the Co-ops’ event held this week.

La Maison verte promoting green-living through solidarity and co-operation

Anca — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:56:30 +0000

Coop la Maison verte is the first environmental solidarity co-op in Canada, offering ecological solutions and products for responsible consumption.

Citadelle, from a local co-op to a world-leading maple syrup producer

Anca — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:57:29 +0000

Citadelle is the world’s largest supplier of 100% pure maple syrup, and it is also 100% co-operative. The co-op was created in the early 1920s at the urge of Quebec’s agriculture minister, the Honorable Jos.-Edmond Caron, who wanted to address critical problems in the Canadian Maple industry.

Signor Roy, an English Pioneer of the Italian Co-operative Movement

Anca — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:01:35 +0000

When the United Nations declared 2012 as International Year of Cooperatives, a great opportunity presented itself to raise global awareness of the Movement’s pioneers. Roy MacGregor-Hastie was one of these, and his sister and fellow-wordsmith, Sandra Saer, feels the time is right to share his story.

The Co-operative Revolution: A Graphic Novel

Emily Barker — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 14:32:55 +0000

The Co-operative Movement’s history has been retold in the form of a graphic novel.

6Towns: changing people's attitudes about credit unions

Anca — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 08:32:35 +0000

Ever since October 2005, 6Towns Credit Union has been offering people in Sandwell a cheaper alternative to the high interest local providers. The credit union not only works with agencies to reach the financially excluded, but also encourages them to break the cycle of dependency and become savers.

Co-operative gamers are raising funds to launch Co-opoly 2.0

Anca — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:26:07 +0000

The second edition of Co-opoly will soon be launched and creators say it will be even better than the first one! The Toolbox for Education and Social Action is currently trying to raise funds to print the second edition of the board game, seeking support from co-ops all over the world.

Energy co-ops must remain agile and innovative

Anca — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:53:40 +0000

Renewable energy is one of the key topics to be addressed at the International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec. Leaders from across various co-operative sectors will discuss how renewable energy co-operatives can remain agile and innovative.

Cyclists travel 4,000 miles on co-op tour across the United States

Emily Barker — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:44:47 +0000

Young co-operators cycled their way into US co-operative history this month, as they completed a 4,000 mile journey visiting more than 70 co-operative enterprises on the way.

2001 Nobel Prize laureate, Michael Spence, on co-ops, the global recession and the International Summit

Anca — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:32:16 +0000

Nobel Prize winner for Economic Sciences, Michael Spence, is one of the keynote speakers at the International Summit of Cooperatives in Quebec. He believes that co-ops are a "a very important form of organisation" during the current economic climate.

Set an agenda for co-operative change, urges Co-op Party Chair

Emily Barker — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:49:42 +0000

Co-operative Party Chair Gareth Thomas has urged its members to unite at this weekend's conference and create an agenda for co-operative change.

Phone Co-op joins The Co-operative national brand

AnthonyMurray — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:12:41 +0000

In what is being hailed as a major milestone in its development, the Phone Co-op has adopted the UK's national Co-operative brand to help promote the society’s products and services.

Hillary Clinton supports co-op project in Africa

Emily Barker — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 10:59:55 +0000

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced an expansion of a US government investment in a co-operative dairy programme in Malawi.

Co-operative Group Chief Executive Peter Marks set to retire

AnthonyMurray — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 08:00:51 +0000

Chief Executive of the Co-operative Group Peter Marks has announced his retirement for next year.