International Year of Co-operatives 2012 kicks off today
The United Nations International Year of Co-operatives 2012 formally started today with events around the world. In London, the Guardian hosted a live panel debate earlier today with Len Wardle, Dame Pauline Green and Ed Mayo, among others.
To coincide with the launch, new research was published today showing that membership of co-operatives is three times higher than the number of individual shareholders across the world, according to a report. Around one billion people belong to a co-operative enterprise, compared with 328 million individual shareholders, research for The Co-operative Group showed. Just under 15% of the UK population owns shares, compared with 21% who own or are members of a co-operative, it was revealed in the study.
The BBC are helping to celebrate and promote the Year as well. Tonight, tune in to hear Russell Gill, Head of Membership at the Co-op Group as part of the Radio 4 programme “All together Now”. The presenter Peter Day visits Spain to uncover the opportunities that co-operatives bring to solving the problems of the global economy. Listen out on Thursday 12th January at 8:30pm or Sunday 15 Jan at 9:30pm.
The Co-operative Party and our politicians locally and nationally have been taking part in events and activities to raise awareness of the UN Year.
Gareth Thomas MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Civil Society and Chair of the Co-operative Party, said:
“This is a huge opportunity to spread the co-op message to people across the world about new and innovative ways of working in communities to benefit the collective good.”
Check out the International Labour Organisation’s video for the International Year:
Tags for this article: events, Gareth Thomas, UN International Year of Co-operatives
