Explore our resource hub to celebrate the International Year of Cooperatives and showcase how cooperatives empower communities worldwide.
The United Nations has proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, a historic recognition that will be celebrated worldwide.
Under the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World”, the year emphasizes the global importance of cooperatives in fostering economic and social development. The UN highlights their critical contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing pressing global challenges like poverty, inequality, climate change, and education.
In his statement to the cooperative community, UN Secretary-General António Guterres remarked:
The IYC2025 logo illustrates people around the world connecting with each other to build a better world. It consists of three colours inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals graphic identity, with red representing societyl, blue representing the economy, and green representing the environment. Together this represents the contributions cooperatives make towards sustainable development.
The logo is available in multiple languages.
The International Year of Cooperatives highlights the significant contribution of cooperatives toward achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Global challenges such as poverty, hunger, inequality, lack of education, and the marginalization of women and youth are to be addressed through sustainable economic practices and resource-efficient living. These 17 goals serve as guiding principles for national policy decisions and international collaboration.
Cooperatives are built on values such as partnership, solidarity, and democratic participation. Their core principles of self-help, self-governance, and self-responsibility make them uniquely suited to advancing the SDGs. Recognizing this alignment, UNESCO declared the cooperative model as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
Just as cooperatives are diverse, so too are their contributions toward achieving the SDGs. However, their core principle remains constant: greater collective action leads to better outcomes and improved situations for individuals and communities alike.
Unlike other business forms, cooperatives uniquely combine economic activity with sustainability. They prioritize the well-being of their members, rather than focusing solely on capital interests. This ensures that their operations are long-term and oriented toward the needs of future generations.
Cooperatives are more than economic enterprises; they are also “schools of democracy,” where all members have an equal say in fundamental decisions. This culture of partnership and trust is central to the cooperative philosophy.
The German cooperative model, developed by Raiffeisen and Schulze-Delitzsch, has served as an inspiration for many countries around the globe. In this context, DGRV implements cooperative development projects worldwide. As part of the German government’s development cooperation initiatives, the cooperative group supports the establishment of cooperatives and cooperative structures in various countries across Latin America, Southern Africa, and Asia, contributing to poverty reduction and peacebuilding.
“Stronger Together”—this cooperative principle shapes DGRV’s development efforts. Through its projects, DGRV is active in 30 countries globally. The organization supports not only individual cooperatives but also their associations and joint enterprises. It also advises policymakers and authorities to create better frameworks for cooperatives in partner countries.
The overarching goal is to build strong cooperatives that encourage active local participation, enabling sustainable development. This approach contributes significantly to poverty alleviation. The cooperative development work is guided by the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The global spread of the cooperative idea has been inspired in part by German cooperative founders Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen and Hermann Schulze-Delitzsch. Over 170 years ago, these pioneers established the first resource associations and credit unions to support struggling individuals in agriculture and craftsmanship. Around the same time, similar cooperative initiatives were developing in other countries across Europe and worldwide. Today, cooperatives are found on every continent.
There are approximately 3 million cooperative enterprises globally, providing employment to 280 million people. Over 1 billion individuals are members of cooperatives worldwide.
In many countries, cooperatives form the backbone of the small and medium-sized business economy. For instance, in Brazil, there are around 4,700 cooperatives, including credit unions, agricultural cooperatives, and craft cooperatives—similar to the German system. A notable feature of Brazil’s cooperative sector is the 720 medical cooperatives that deliver healthcare services to patients collectively.
In Africa, cooperatives play a crucial role in the financial sector. Uganda, for example, boasts 24,000 savings and credit cooperatives (SACCOs) that provide essential financial services, especially in rural areas. For individuals and small businesses, these cooperatives often serve as the only gateway to capital markets, making them a cornerstone of economic development in the region’s rural communities.
Japan has a long cooperative tradition, deeply embedded in its economy and society. Out of approximately 41,100 cooperatives, around 35,000 are small and medium-sized enterprises collaborating in procurement, production, or distribution. The country is also home to other strong cooperative sectors, including 1,800 fishing cooperatives and 1,160 agricultural cooperatives.
On the fifth continent, Australia, cooperatives operate across a variety of industries. From banking and health insurance to agribusiness, Australia is home to more than 1,800 cooperatives. Together with their affiliated member enterprises, they provide around 167,000 secure and sustainable jobs.
The global launch of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC 2025) took place in November 2024, marking the start of a year dedicated to highlighting the vital role cooperatives play in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For the first time in its 130-year history, the ICA Global Cooperative Conference was held in India. This historic biennial event officially inaugurated the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives 2025 in the presence of global leaders.
Throughout the year, we will join forces to enhance understanding and awareness of the cooperative enterprise model. The UN General Assembly emphasizes the importance of creating national coordination mechanisms for IYC activities, ensuring that key messages are effectively communicated to stakeholders at every level.
Governments & Policymakers: Develop policies and regulatory frameworks that encourage the growth and resilience of cooperatives.
Cooperatives: Showcase your contributions to sustainable development, cultivate strong leadership, and strengthen partnerships with other cooperatives.
Institutions & Development Agencies: Support cooperatives through education, skill development, and fostering international collaboration.
The Public: Discover how cooperatives promote sustainability and actively engage with local cooperative initiatives.
Spread the Word! Use the official logo, visual materials, and hashtags
to share your activities. Together, we can amplify the impact of IYC2025!
More information also on https://2025.coop/
The international Year of Cooperatives 2025, themed “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” aims to raise awareness, promote growth, and inspire leadership in the cooperative movement. Hosted by COPAC, a global multi-stakeholder partnership, it highlights cooperatives as drivers of sustainable development.
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