Co-operative News - Regional Organisations

Find out how a co-operative approach to media ownership works

Anca — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 09:42:47 +0000

With half of the UK’s local and regional papers running the risk of disappearing by 2014, Co-operatives UK has teamed up with Carnegie UK to launch a series of events aimed at promoting a co-operative approach to media ownership.

The “Make your local news work” campaign is inviting communities to take control of their local media through co-operative ownership. Through a number of events across the UK, journalists, local communities and media professionals will be given the chance to explore a co-operative solution to local media crisis. The workshops will take place throughout June in Leicester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Crewe, Belfast and Cardiff.

Referring to the new initiative, Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK, said: “We have seen communities rally around to save their shops, pubs and libraries using the co-operative business model. If we want local media, perhaps it is time to learn from their success and turn the writers and readers into owners.

“This new series of events, the first of its kind, will provide practical support to people wanting to forge a new future for local media.”

The workshops also include reference to some successful co-operative newspapers, such as New Internationalist and West Highland Free Press.

Martyn Evans, Chief Executive of Carnegie UK Trust said that although local news played an important role in their communities, the readership decline was a key challenge for many regional publications in the UK.

“We desperately need a new model that will allow local news providers to capture the attention of local people and build more sustainable businesses,” he said.

Both Co-operatives UK and Carnegie UK Trust have previously developed similar projects aimed as looking for a solution to the crisis local media face.

Carnegie UK Trust is stimulating innovation through Neighbouring News, a £50,000 competition open to local commercial media and civil society organisations across the UK and Ireland. By becoming a Carnegie Partner, the winners receive funding to develop innovative ways of producing local news.

In 2012 Co-operatives UK published the report “Good news: A co-operative solution to the media crisis” in which writer David Boyle argued that co-operative ownership could be key to saving local publications.

• For the full list of events, visit: www.uk.coop/makethenews.

Use of co-operative name under threat by British Government

AnthonyMurray — Thu, 02 May 2013 08:29:31 +0000

Co-operatives UK has launched a campaign to protect the use of the co-operative name by new businesses.

The name is under threat due to a current Government consultation to delist its protected status for new business registrations.

Co-operatives UK is urging co-operators to respond to the Company and Business Names Consultation being run by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills by May 22nd.

The Government department is proposing to remove the protection for the co-operative name, which currently ensures new business registrations adhere to co-operative principles.

In the consultation, BIS said all words specified on the sensitive list — which also includes commission, council and licensing — were to protect the public from being misled by a business name. But it said as “language evolves” this may no longer be considered a risk.

The list does not prohibit the use of those words, but it allows specified bodies to submit an objection on the usage, such as the Charities Commission or the Department of Health.

The BiS ‘red tape challenge’ is proposing to either repeal the sensitive list or to retain, but reduce it. In removing the statutory instrument behind the list, BiS said this will allow companies to choose any name, which would “significantly speed up registration” and ensure new registrations do not go through a “costly and time consuming process”.

But BIS said a reduced list would need to show a clear criteria for approval for those who want to use protected words such as ‘co-operative’.

Co-operatives UK's Secretary General Ed Mayo said the public associate co-operatives with being "trustworthy, business-like and fair" and that he is concerned this will diminish. He commented: "We are extremely concerned that without this protection, rogue businesses may trade off, and potentially ultimately, tarnish, this reputation. We are urging people to help protect the good name of co-operatives.”

In its draft response to the consultation, Co-operatives UK said that between 2008-2011 the number of co-operatives grew by 23 per cent and that it is concerned “failure to protect these terms could run counter to consumer protection measures, and also tarnish the reputation of these businesses”.

The trade organisation for co-operatives said that in 27 years of registering co-operatives it has never been an administrative burden; and Helen Barber, Head of Advice and Policy, said the body actively challenges applications on average three to four times each year. She added: “There may well be more, though, which aren't brought to our attention currently, which is why we'd like BIS to take this opportunity to strengthen protection in a way that allows Co-operatives UK to challenge all rogue companies trading on the good name of co-operatives."

In its consultation response, Co-operatives UK highlighted two registered companies that did not appear to be operating under the “values and principles” of the movement. It said “Co-operative Gardeners Ltd” was “registered by one sole Director, which is clearly therefore a one person company not a co-operative under international guidelines”.

It also highlighted “The Consumer co-op” whose “rules have no signs of co-operative principles whatsoever” and is an example of how “a non-cooperative markets itself as a co-operative in order to position itself as an ethical business and benefit from consumer trust”.

• More information about how to respond to the consultation are available at www.uk.coop/consultations

ICA launches website for Cape Town event

AnthonyMurray — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 11:11:08 +0000

The official website for this year’s biggest global gathering for co-operators has been launched.

Two thousand co-operators from around the world are expected to attend the International Co-operative Alliance’s Global Conference and General Assembly from November 1-5 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.

South Africa will host the ICA's first General Assembly on the continent, which will be focused on the Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade.

The event’s theme, Co-operative Decade: Growing the Co-operative Movement, will be the common thread throughout the week of meetings of ICA bodies, plenary sessions and the General Assembly.

On the website, the programme outlines a series of meetings between ICA committees and sectoral organisations, alongside a youth conference and the main conference followed by breakout sessions. Also listed are details about booking hotels and organising trips.

During the week there will also be a number of booths selling co-operative books and goods, providing information about co-operatives, showcases, and a number of other side meetings.

The ICA event will be followed by the ICMIF conference, which is the ICA’s sectoral body for the insurance sector, from 6-8 November. The ICMIF event will be a global gathering of mutual and co-operative insurance leaders.

• To find out more about the Cape Town event, visit: www.capetown2013.coop

Event:

ICA's Global Conference and General Assembly

Co-ops generate £40 out of £100 for local economy, report reveals

Emily Barker — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 15:11:56 +0000

A new study by Co-operatives UK shows co-operatives generate an additional £40 for local suppliers, customers and employees for every £100 of sales.

Research by independent economic analysts K2A carried for Co-operatives UK, followed money that was spent by customers of the local co-operative in the county of Lincolnshire.

It shows that the money spent by customers in the Lincolnshire Co-operative increased in value by going to local suppliers, to customers as a dividend and to employees in wages, who in turn spent a proportion of their money locally.

On conservative estimates, using internationally accepted benchmarks, the co-operative generated an additional £40 for the local economy for every £100 spent by a customer.

Overall, this meant that Lincolnshire Co-operative, rather than generating profits for outside investors or national or even global suppliers, generated nearly £100 million annually for the local economy.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK said: “Money spent in a co-operative is sticky money. It stays local, because co-operatives employ local people, are owned by local people and tries to sources from local firms that do the same.

“Every pound spent in a co-operative shop is a real boost to the local economy. In fact, every pound spent in a co-operative store changes hands five times, at diminishing levels, until the final penny leaves the local economy. This adds a wonderful life to any local community."

“Co-operatives are known as trusted, local businesses. This research affirms that every pound spent in a co-operative shop is a real boost to the local economy.”

Ursula Lidbetter, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Co-operative, said: “We’re pleased with the results of this study which show our positive impact on our local economy. Everything we do as a co-operative society is for the benefit of our members who own the business, and their local communities.

“We support these communities in a numbers of ways – by providing the rural services important to people like foodstores and post offices, by giving local producers an outlet for their goods, by giving grants and donations to local groups and by making our members better off by sharing profits through the dividend.”

The study found that the money generated for the local economy by Lincolnshire Co-operative is ‘sticky’ – after being passed on to suppliers, employees and customers it passes through local people’s hands five times, generating local wealth and jobs in the process.

It also discovered £5 million a year that would go to external investors in a conventional shareholder business is distributed to local customers as a dividend, to the 205,000 owner members of the society in Lincolnshire, which can then be spent and kept local again.

Lincolnshire Co-operative supports small local suppliers – by helping them grow their business to a scale where they can supply a large retail operation and, where local businesses supplying Lincolnshire have faced closure, the co-operative has stepped in to save the jobs and business. Lincolnshire also sustains 2,800 local jobs in all parts of the business.

The co-op also uses more than 600 local suppliers, almost half (47%) of which see their contract with Lincolnshire Co-operative as a significant part of their business.

Jenny Smith is from Jenny’s Jams, a micro-enterprise based in Lincoln which supplies the county with quality jams and chutneys. She has received support on key areas like labelling.

She said: “Working with Lincolnshire Co-operative has helped my business in a number of ways. It means that my products reach a wider audience because they are available throughout the county and it’s also good to get feedback from a large retailer on what you are making.

“I moved my business from my home to a special unit in 2011 because contracts like the one I have with Lincolnshire Co-op have enabled me to expand. It also helps other local businesses as where possible; I buy my fruit from local pick your own farms and wholesalers.”

Canadian Co-operative Awards open for nominations

Emily Barker — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:54:01 +0000

The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) are asking co-operators to put forward their nominations for the annual Co-operative Awards before 31 March.

There are four categories: the Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award, the Global Co-operator Award, the Co-operative Governance Award and Pioneer Inductees in the Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame.

The Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award was set up in 2001, followed by the Global Co-operator Award in 2005 and the governance awards in 2008.

Donna Balkan, the Communications Manager for CCA, said: “We think it is very important to present awards as a way of honouring excellence within the Canadian co-operative movement. The individual award recipients are often unsung heroes: people who have made an enormous impact on Canadian co-operatives and Canadian society, but are not well-known outside the co-operative sector.

“For example, Ed Gebert, a longtime credit union leader from Saskatchewan who was the 2012 winner of the Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award, was largely responsible for bringing the first-ever Automated Teller Machine (bank machine) to Canada. And many of the winners of the Global Co-operator Award have been volunteers who have devoted countless hours to CCA's international development projects.”

She explained the governance award was created because of the “enormous importance CCA places on effective co-operative governance.”

The Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame was set up to celebrate the CCA’s 100th anniversary in 2009, the Pioneer Inductees are deceased individuals who were fundamental in shaping co-operation in Canada.

Donna added: “When we created the Hall of Fame, we felt this category was very important, because the stories of legendary co-operators like Alphonse Desjardins, founder of North America’s first financial services co-operative and Father Moses Coady, a leader of the Antigonish Movement, which spearheaded the development of co-operatives in the Atlantic provinces during the Great Depression, are not often found in high school or university history books, and we wanted these people to be recognised.”

Co-operators do not need to be a direct member of CCA to nominate someone for an award. After the nominations close, the award winners are chosen by separate selection committees for each award, which usually consist of members of CCA board.

These are not the only awards given to Canadian co-ops, Canada’s French-language national co-op association, the Conseil canadien de la cooperation et de la mutualité (CCCM), has its own awards programme, and Credit Union Central of Canada also give out awards each year.

To find out more and to apply for individual categories, visit the Awards website here.

Singaporean co-operators honoured in co-op awards

Emily Barker — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:24:13 +0000

Over 30 co-operators were honoured in the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF) Honours Awards 2013 on 19 January.

Seven esteemed figures, including former Singapore President S R Nathan and the late Singapore President CV Devan Nair were celebrated for their contributions to the growth of the Singapore Co-operative Movement.

Mr Chan Tee Seng, Chairman of SNCF, said: “Without their support, vision and leadership through the decades, the Co-operative Movement would not have thrived and achieved a reach as wide today.”

Other 22 co-operators and co-operatives were also recognised from sectors such as finance, education, retail and social welfare.

NTUC FairPrice Co-operative, who received the Rochdale Plaque in 1998, was given the Special Rochdale Award, a new category nominated by SNCF to recognise the work that NTUC FairPrice has consistently accomplished in the last 15 years.

Another new category created was the Special Commendation Medal, given to individual co-operators for their outstanding body of work and contribution towards the Singapore Co-operative Movement.

The Co-operative Champion award, specially created for individuals who championed the co-operative missions, honoured Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC and NTUC FairPrice Chief Executive Officer, Seah Kian Peng, immediate past Secretary-General of NTUC and current Singapore Labour Foundation Deputy Chairman, Lim Boon Heng, former Minister of State for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, who also served as Chairman of the SNCF Board of Trustees, Chairman of Central Co-operative Fund and former Chairman of NTUC FairPrice, S Chandra Das and Chairman of Seacare Co-operative Limited Leow Ching Chuan.

The SNCF have also been supporting the Co-operative Movement in other areas. This includes awarding scholarships to three young individuals chosen from 150 applicants. They are: Li Mengzhu, 20, Joan Loh, 19 and Koh Wei Meng, 21.

SNCF are also launching a new Grant Framework under the Central Co-operative Fund to address the specific needs of co-operatives and to assits them with their growth and development.

The Grants can be used to set up co-ops or for existing co-ops to improve their productivity and services.

“The aim is to provide them with practical social entrepreneurial experience and provoke their sense of social mindedness. We have received very good support from the schools. We are working together with the Registry of Co-operative Societies to simplify the setup of co-operatives or form co-operative clubs in secondary schools to enable more young social entrepreneurs to use their passion and creativity to address social needs as part of character building;” said Mr Chan.

The Singapore Co-operative Movement celebrated the International Year of Co-operatives through a series of events including: Co-opaliciouz, the largest gathering of Singapore’s Co-op Movement in history and releasing a set of legal tender co-operatives stamps.

I ♥ Co-ops: Cooperative Business New Zealand

Emily Barker — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:44:29 +0000

I ♥ co-ops shows the amazing power of co-operatives in the different trades and sectors throughout the world.

This week we have featured a video of Ramsey Margolis, Executive Director of Cooperative Business New Zealand.

We want to hear from you, if you want to take part in I ♥ co-ops then email us at emily@thenews.coop

Share your story of co-operation! #Iheartcoops

National Co-operative Council aims to boost co-operative development across Panama

Anca — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:59:29 +0000

Delegates at the National Co-operative Council of Panama discussed new measures to boost co-operative development at their 23 General Assembly.

Professor Ruben Cabrera, Director and Producer of the radio show "Cooperativismo y Algo Más" (Co-operatives and something more) wrote a special report on the meeting that took place in Santiago on 24 November.

According to Mr Cabrera, one of the important issues tackled at the meeting was making sure the governments would work with co-ops and the Council to support co-operative development, particularly in the agricultural sector. Members have also discussed the budget for 2013.

A keynote speaker at the meeting was José “Popo” Montenegro, President of CONALCOOP. Mr Montenegro said: “In our country and around the world, there have been many comments, statements and stances taken, some in favour, others against the co-operative phenomenon as one of great importance for society and the economic and productive development of a state. Experts who have assessed co-operatives in various studies see them as a viable alternative to the capitalist model.”

Mr Montenegro added co-operatives act in the most vulnerable sectors of the economy, helping vulnerable people.

He also revealed the Council is struggling faces financial difficulties because some co-operatives refuse to pay the joining fee. He said that in spite of this inconvenience, CONALCOOP has represented throughout these years co-ops from across the country, fulfilling its objectives of representation, training, integration and consultation, for the overall good of co-operatives across the country.

The National Co-operative Council of Panama was created in September 1989 and is a not-for profit organisation. Its main objectives are defining the policies and objectives that would sustain co-operative development across Panama, through a National Co-operative Development Plan.

In accordance with Law 17, of 1997, an Integration Fund was created to support the activities of CONALCOOP. The fund consists of 0,5 per cent of the surplus that comes out of the annual return, after deducting provisions and general expenses. This fund has to be handed over to CONALCOOP and is used to train, sustain, educate, and provide technical assistance to co-operatives across Panama.

16 November: Celebrate Global Worker Co-op Day

AnthonyMurray — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 11:08:41 +0000

More than 1,000 co-operators, academics and experts will share their experiences and exchange ideas, at the Global Worker Co-operative Day on 16 November.

The day will mark the International Year of Co-operatives through a full day of exchanges, debates and analyses of various aspects of the co-operative movement at the 35 National Congress of French Worker Co-operatives in Marseille (15-16 November).

On the first day of the conference, co-operators will get the chance to look at various issues that French co-operatives are facing. Participants will also get an insight into global co-operative trends, with experts from Spain, Italy, India, Argentina and the USA sharing their views. The debate aims to stimulate ideas on how co-operatives can respond to globalisation.

The Friday afternoon sessions will focus on developing the transfer of business into worker co-operative enterprises, having key speakers from Quebec, Brazil, Italy and France.

Paul Singer, Brazilian Secretary of State for Solidarity Economy and Benoît Hamon, French Deputy Minister of Social and Solidarity Economy, will also be attending the conference, leading a discussion on French-Brazilian exchange on the public policies in favour of worker co-operatives.

Patrick Lenancker, President of the Confederation of French Worker Cooperatives (CG Scop) will deliver the closing address on Friday evening. Participants who wish to explore the beauty of Marseille can join a trip organised by the GC Scop and get to visit Marseille’s beaches, try the traditional food and play regional games. Prices and details will be available soon.

The Global Worker Co-operative Day is an initiative put forward by the French worker co-operatives organisation (CG Scop) and the International Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal and Service Producers’ Co-operatives (CICOPA).

Simultaneous translation in French, English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and sign language will be provided in order to enable participants to get fully involved in the debate. Visits to local co-operatives will be organised for international participants.

• For further details on the events, view the programme.

Co-ops provide a lifeline for communities: Growing the co-op economy

Emily Barker — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:04:08 +0000

The co-operative economy has outperformed the UK economy for the fourth time in a row this year, but how can it continue to grow? This was the topic of the Co-operative Congress, held at Co-operatives UK in Manchester.

Co-operatives UK Secretary-General, Ed Mayo, explained that co-operatives must remain tough in a tough competitive market. He said: “We are about stakeholder, not shareholder, of course we need to make a profit, but that’s juts part of it.”

He added that co-ops provide a lifeline for remote and rural communities. Using the example of the Uig Community Co-operative Shop on the West Coast of Lewis in Scotland.

Elaine Newton, the general manager of the shop said: “There’s no doubt that without the co-op and access to all the goods we can get there, the community would die without a shop.”

The Secretary-General quoted retail guru Mary Portas, who was at the previous Co-operative Congress. She had said that consumers are beginning to question how they spend their money and co-ops: “are not shouting enough about your ethical credentials.”

He added that co-ops are “harder to start, but harder to kill” with only 1 in 20 new co-op businesses failing, compared to nearly half of new non co-op businesses.

Mr. Mayo finished by saying: “We can send a message to our colleges, to our members, to our public, that we are business, that we are co-operative, that we are the future.”

The second speaker of the Congress was Peter Hunt, Chief executive of Mutuo, an organisation promoting the mutual approach to business and public policy.

Mutuo was set up ten years ago when the UK had come to the end of a major demutualisation, with significant shrinking of the sector from 80 per cent to 20 per cent in areas such as Building Societies.

Peter said: “Mutuals and co-ops were feeling pretty low and government was pretty negative about the sector – many people thought if you just leave it alone it’ll go away.”

“There was out of date legislation, and there were people in government who didn’t understand or empathise with the needs of co-op businesses. In 2008 the financial crash hit across the world – it gave them time to question their strongly held view, and realise all the eggs were in the wrong basket.”

He added that co-op politics had always been seen to be a lefty thing, but the reality was that “there are people from all political parties that have an interest. This is a cross party message.”

Peter explained that there were two million more mutual members because the work of Mutuo. He said: “We need to look from the politician’s perspective. We have to have successful co-ops and mutuals to point to.”

The Co-operative Congress was moved to become part of the 2http://manchester2012.coop, the biggest co-op event of the year.

Event:

Thursday: Co-operative Congress