Looking Toward 2012: Cross-sector Collaboration for a Co-operative Economy

Erbin Crowell Brian Donovan Caple Melton Webster Walker October 6, 2011

•  The Opportunity of 2012 • Obstacles to Collaboration • Opportunities •  Inspiration •  Regional Examples •  Shared Characteristics •  Small Group Dialog •  Report Back

Agenda

Co-ops “in their various forms, promote the fullest possible participation in the economic and social development of all people, including women, youth, older persons, persons with disabilities and indigenous peoples, are becoming a major factor of economic and social development and contribute to the eradication of poverty.”

United Nations Resolution 64/136, (2010)

Our Opportunity

Contribution of Co-op Enterprise to: •  Poverty Reduction •  Employment Generation •  Social Integration •  Fairness & Globalization •  Conflict Resolution, Reconstruction &

Reintegration

Our Opportunity

UN Goals of the Year: •  Increase public awareness about co-ops •  Promote formation and growth of co-ops •  Encourage governments to establish

policies, laws and regulations conducive to the formation, growth and stability of co-operatives

…What are our goals?

Our Opportunity

•  Sector & Industry Silos •  (We don’t talk enough)

•  Expectations •  (We expect a lot from each other)

• Mainstream Influence •  (We lose sight of the movement)

•  Insular •  (We don’t think systemically)

•  Philosophical •  (Do we believe in the co-op alternative?)

Obstacles to Collaboration

•  Shared History •  Identity: Principles & Values •  Shared Impact •  Regional Collaboration •  Finding Inspiration •  Shared Opportunity: 2012

Bridging Sector Divides

“Co-operative housing, worker co-operatives, even collective agricultural co-operatives, can all look back to the original Rochdale plan for inspiration. In 1844 these pieces were not separate… The Rochdale pioneers conceived in one association of what would now make a multisectoral co-operative movement.”

Brett Fairbairn, The Meaning of Rochdale

Shared History

Co-operatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the co-operative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

6th Principle of the Co-operative Identity

Shared Principles & Values

•  International Labour Organization •  Co-operative Enterprise is Resilient

•  United Nations •  Co-ops Support Human Development

•  International Co-operative Alliance •  Over a Billion Co-op Members Worldwide

•  University of Wisconsin Study •  29,000 Co-ops in the United States

•  Regional Studies •  How Can We Measure & Communicate

Our Local Impact?

Shared Impact

•  Telling Our Stories •  Communicating Our Impact •  Influencing Policy • Mutual Support •  Co-op to Co-op Business as a Strategy

Collaboration

•  Co-operative Communities •  Mondragón, Spain •  Emilia Romagna, Italy

•  New Opportunities •  Cross-Sector Business Development •  New Models – Multistakeholder Structures

•  The Opportunity of 2012 •  The United Nations: “Co-operative Enterprises

Build a Better World.”

Finding Inspiration

•  Strengthening Local Independent Co-ops Everywhere (SLICE)

•  University of Texas Inter-Cooperative Council (Austin Co-op Think Tank)

•  Neighboring Food Co-op Association (NFCA)

Regional Examples

•  Annual Conference for Cross-Sector Coalition- and Skill-Building

•  Strengthening Local Independent Co-ops Everywhere (Vision Built into Our Name)

•  2009 / 2010: Traditional Conference Format

•  2011: “Invigorating the Co-operative Economy”

SLICE

•  SLICE Roundtable •  Northwest Cooperative Development Center:

Regional Co-operative Economy Survey •  Seattle Metropolitan Credit Union:

Coopalooza •  Open Space & Break-Out Sessions for

Collaborative Projects •  Regional Co-operative Development Fund •  Cascadia Center for Sustainable Economy

SLICE

•  “Movement Co-op” Principles 6 & 7 addenda •  Co-ops exercise a preference for relationships

and transactions with other co-ops •  Co-operatives direct a defined portion of net

profit or gross revenue to co-op development •  Co-operatives serve their members and

communities by promoting social and ecological equity and justice

•  Co-operatives account for their impacts on people and ecosystems

SLICE

•  Group Representing 15 Co-ops •  60 People on E-Mail List •  Vision: “A Co-op Solution to Meet Every

Need” •  Mission: Grow the Co-op Economy •  Goals: Help Start & Grow Co-ops •  Education & Outreach: Internal and External •  Policy Advocacy •  Resource Development / Financial Support

Austin Co-op Think Tank

•  Student Housing Co-ops and Wheatsville Food Co-op have worked together for 40 years

•  Recent additions, Black Star (Brew Pub) and Third Coast (Worker Co-op Incubator), have increased interest in working together

•  Credit Unions at the table is new for Austin

Austin Co-op Think Tank

•  Ideas for Inter-Cooperation •  Clearinghouse/Incubator for how to start,

run and expand a co-operative •  Research project demonstrating the value

of Co-operatives to the local economy •  Publicity Campaign promoting Co-operation

during 2012 •  Mentorship Program pairing veteran and

new co-operators

Austin Co-op Think Tank

•  Co-op of 25 food co-ops •  90,000 individual members •  1,400 employees •  $200 million revenue (‘10) •  $33 million in local purchases (‘07) •  Vision of a “thriving regional

economy, rooted in a healthy, just and sustainable food system, and a vibrant community of co-operative enterprise”

Neighboring Food Co-op Association

•  Community ownership & control •  Focus on service, meeting needs before profit •  Develop local skills & assets •  Ability to assemble limited resources •  Regional economic efficiencies •  Low business failure rate & are long-lived •  Difficult to move or buy-out •  Separate community wealth from speculative markets •  Mobilize member, customer and supplier loyalty •  Result: more stable local food system, infrastructure,

employment & services, and economy.

Co-ops & Local Economies

•  Sourcing •  “Go Co-op” Initiative •  Product Development

•  Policy •  Policy Engagement •  IYC Resolutions

•  Networks •  Cross Sector Dialog •  Valley Co-op Business Association

Cross Sector Collaboration

I�   �  Our�  �  Co-­‐ops!The�  Neighboring�  Food�  Co-­‐op�  Association�  //�  www.nfca.coop

•  A Regional Co-operative Association of Food Co-ops

•  A Local Coalition of Co-ops Linked with a University

•  A Conference-Based Opportunity for Cross-Sector Collaboration

Varied Approaches

•  Focus on Co-op Identity •  Local and Regional in Scope •  Cross Sector Collaboration as a Priority •  Network Based •  Peer Support & Development •  Emphasis on Opportunity

Shared Characteristics

•  Divide up according to basic regions •  Reflect on presentation – what was most

compelling or interesting? •  Are there examples or structures for cross-

sector collaboration that you can build on in your region?

• What resources are available in your region for exploration of dialog across sectors (industries) and member types (worker, consumer, producer, multistakeholder)?

Small Group Dialog

•  Examples of existing cross-sector collaboration in your region.

•  3 priorities for action to help advance cross-sector co-op collaboration in your region, with a particular focus on opportunities presented by 2012.

•  A contact list and point person for your region to continue dialog and coordination as we grow the Co-operative Economy in 2012.

Report Back

E-mail •  Erbin Crowell // erbin@nfca.coop •  Brian Donovan // brian@iccaustin.coop •  Caple Melton // caplemelton@centralcoop.coop •  Webster Walker // webwalk@centralcoop.coop Websites •  Neighboring Food Co-op Association // www.nfca.coop •  SLICE // www.slice.coop •  UT Intercooperative Council // www.iccaustin.coop

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