UK’s influence on international co-op movement grows

THE British Movement increased its representation in the International Co-operative Alliance, the global co-operative body, during a gathering of 70 countries for the ICA General Assembly in Cartagena, Colombia.
Bob Burlton, Co-operative Group chairman and Midcounties Society CEO, was elected President of Consumer Co-operative International, one of the ICA's principal sectoral bodies.
He replaces Giuseppe Fabretti, from Italy, who had an uninterrupted presidency of ten years.
Phil Holmes, finance manager of Co-operatives UK, was elected to the Audit and Control Committee, while Dame Pauline Green continues as ICA's European vice-president.
The General Assembly, held every two years, convened for the first time in Latin America and attracted more than 1,400 delegates and observers, half from South America.
The ICA is the global representative body for co-operative businesses, which have 823 million individual members in 89 countries and operate in virtually every economic field, from agriculture and fisheries to healthcare, banking and insurance.
The Cartagena event focused on how ethics and values can help to drive co-operative business success.
"The General Assembly and associated meetings highlighted the achievements of co-operatives in today's competitive and globalised economy," said Iain Macdonald, ICA Director-General.
"The scale of co-operative businesses is rarely appreciated and this conference helped the movement to address a wider audience, both in Colombia and throughout the world."
The busy week of meetings and events reached a climax on September 22 and 23 when, after subsidiary meetings and workshops, all the delegates convened for the General Assembly.
One of the speakers at the opening ceremony was Ivano Barberini, the President of ICA, who was re-elected for a second four-year term.
"The co-operative movement is the best type of enterprise to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In meeting these challenges we must be responsive to the needs of the people and at the same time we have to improve our reputation, not only through what we say but what we do," Mr Barberini declared.
"We must never forget that the movement is not only an economic phenomenon but also a cultural and social phenomenon. To compete on an economic level is simply not enough; we should always be using our values to show that we have as much respect for people as we have for markets."