UN Year of the Cooperatives
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About cooperatives

 
Cooperatives are member-owned, autonomous groups that let individuals and communities help themselves.
 
Oikocredit is one of the few internationally operating cooperatives, with 595 members from 95 countries. Each member can attend Annual General Meetings to propose resolutions and use their right to vote.
  
Core values of cooperatives:
  • voluntary, open membership
  • democratic member control
  • autonomy, independence
  • education, training, information
  • concern for community

 
"Cooperatives are a reminder to the international community that it is possible to pursue both economic viability and social responsibility."
- UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon
 

Cooperative facts

  • There are nearly a billion cooperatives in over 90 countries
  • Cooperatives operate in different sectors: agriculture, finance, manufacturing, health, education, trade and others
  • Financial cooperatives serve around 857 million people, about 13% of the world population

 

Oikocredit