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Issue Nº 19 // November 2013 ICA-Americas Newsletter CONTINENTAL CONGRESS OF THE ICA MET POPE FRANCIS ROBERTO RODRIGUES AT THE 18TH COOPERATIVE LAW In private audience Pope Francis ex‐ REGIONAL CONFERENCE The event was a fundamental step to lay pressed his confidence in co‐operatives The FAO special ambassador for coopera‐ the foundations for true cooperative law, as a crucial part of the global economy tives talked about the present scenario of capable of analyzing and proposing ap‐ for the future, and a way of dealing with global transformation and the role of proaches about a singular form of eco‐ some of the world’s most pressing prob‐ cooperatives for the sustainable develop‐ nomic organization. (page 8) lems. (page 16) ment of the planet. (page 10) Inside The Editor’s Pen Ramón Imperial, ICA‐Americas President p. 2 Interview: Our challenge is “OUR CHALLENGE to maintain a balanced development IS TO MAINTAIN A p. 3 Interview: BALANCED Co‐operatives have spent too long talking to each other DEVELOPMENT” p. 4 (page 3) Interview: Cooperatives in the Americas are showing leadership in terms of legislation p. 6 TH 18 ICA‐AMERICAS REGIONAL CONFERENCE The Continental Congress of Cooperative Law generated COOPERATIVE DECADE: SCENARIOS AND PERSPECTIVES relations of collaboration and scientific interchange p. 8 “What we have always done is not enough to meet the 2020 challenge” p. 10 Sectoral meetings at the 18th ICA‐Americas Regional Conference p. 11 A global network of Parliamentarians who support cooperatives. Just a dream? p. 15 The ICA met Pope Francis p. 16 ICA-Americas Newsletter is an e-publication of the International Co-operative Alliance for the Americas DAME PAULINE GREEN: “CO‐OPERATIVES HAVE SPENT TOO LONG TALKING TO EACH OTHER” (page 4) CHARLES GOULD:“COOPERATIVES IN THE [email protected] AMERICAS ARE SHOWING LEADERSHIP IN Phone: + (506) 2296 0981 TERMS OF LEGISLATION” Fax: + (506) 2231 5842 PO BOX: 6648 -1000 (page 6) { The Editor’s Pen } Once again, thanks to the invaluable participation of the cooperative movement in this region, the 18th ICA-Americas Regional Conference fulfilled our expectations. Almost 1000 cooperators travelled from every corner of the Americas to the city of Guarujá in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to analyze the main issues regarding the cooperative movement these days. In this Regional Conference, we were able to discuss together the Blueprint for a Cooperative Decade. We all agreed that it is an ambitious plan that aims at important achievements for the movement. The Blueprint for a Cooperative Decade was ap- proved during the International Cooperative Alliance Assembly in Manchester 2012. Throughout this year, ICA-Americas has been promoting the Blueprint and enabling Manuel Mariño cooperatives to know it and understand it. We have also participated in numerous ICA Americas activities in different countries of the region to spread the word about this initiative. Regional Director However, the 18th ICA-Americas Regional Conference was crucial to advance in the promotion of the Blueprint. It is important to highlight that the Blueprint does not just depend on ICA or the ICA -Americas. Its success is directly linked to the actions adopted by cooperative or- ganizations, members and non-members of the ICA, so that this idea can be imple- mented in their own countries. This is the only way we are going to succeed in achieving the desired objectives. We think we have taken a step forward and thus, the Blueprint is now known and shared by a lot of people. Yet, there are still hundreds of thousands of cooperators that have not been in touch with it. At ICA-Americas, we will continue with our pro- motion work, supporting cooperatives and organizing new activities. But we must not forget that the main work is to be done by cooperatives themselves. The Blueprint has five main axes: Identity, Participation and Governance, Sustain- ability, Capital and Legal Frameworks. We believe that our region is well-suited to address the axis of sustainability, in all its dimensions but particularly in terms of environmental sustainability. There is no doubt that there is still a long way ahead but in this region we are fully aware of the implications of sustainability and a great concern on it. Our main challenges in the future are related to axes involving governance and par- ticipation, and capital. We have to figure out how to increase member participation. The possibility of using social networks to foster participation within cooperatives should not be left aside. They can be very efficient for those cooperators who cannot participate via the traditional channels. It is also true that there are several govern- ance problems that should be addressed and in terms of capital we are aware of the fact that it is a challenge of all cooperatives, not only in this region, but in every re- gion of the world. Again, thank you very much for your commitment with this event and we invite you to continue building our unity by joining us in the next 3rd Cooperative Summit of the Americas to be held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia from 2 nd to 7th Novem- ber, 2014. 2 ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 19 // November 2013 Interview “OUR CHALLENGE IS TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT” ICA-Americas President, Ramon Imperial Zúñiga, talked to ICA- Americas Newsletter in the frame- work of the 18th ICA-Americas Regional Conference. According to this cooperative leader, working for the balance between the coop- erative philosophy and business matters such as better administra- tion and capitalization is the great challenge for the sector in the re- gion over the next years. How do you see the cooperative movement of the region nowa- days? In our continent the cooperative movement is increasingly develop- ing. In fact, in global terms this is one of the regions that is having the biggest growth. But this does not mean that we are well. It is still necessary to improve many things. We must balance the growth of our cooperatives in such a way that we guarantee sustainability and bal- anced development of our coop- eratives in all the countries. I believe that a lot has been made. We have taken advantage of the cific strategies, and if we work on what needs to be improved is the 2012 International Year of Coop- them, they will boost an integral business character of the coopera- eratives. We are having a new im- development of cooperatives. Yes, tive model. We need to have better pulse but we still have several I believe it is likely that by 2020 cooperative management and a challenges ahead. we could be one of the fastest better capitalization of our coop- growing business model. Do you think that cooperatives eratives. If we suitably balance can be the fastest growing busi- Which are the greatest chal- our capacity to follow the coopera- ness model by the end of the dec- lenges for cooperatives in this tive principles and values, together ade? decade? with better cooperative manage- ment, we will be having an inte- I believe we do have many possi- In America, most cooperatives in bilities. In fact, the Blueprint for a our countries are aligned to the co- gral development. That is our Cooperative Decade designed by operative philosophy, to the coop- greatest challenge: to maintain a ICA, contains five axes with spe- erative identity. In my opinion, balanced development. ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 19 // November 2013 3 Interview DAME PAULINE GREEN: “COOPERATIVES HAVE SPENT TOO LONG TALKING TO EACH OTHER” ICA President, Dame Pauline You have mentioned many times given us confidence. For me the Green participated in the ICA- that the International Year of greatest thing the International Americas Regional Conference. Cooperatives opened a door. But Year has given the movement is The cooperative leader was rec- that, if we don’t know how to the confidence to start speaking ognized by her enthusiasm and take advantage of the moment passion. “I love these confer- that door would close? What do ences in the Americas. They are you think was the most impor- “ When any very vibrant, they are full of en- tant door that the International cooperative gets in ergy and you get a sense of our Year of Cooperatives has trouble it is usually cooperative movement that really opened? because is thriving, prospering; with peo- What the international Year has it lost touch with ple wanting to create more” she given us inside the movement is a its members. told ICA-Americas Newsletter in great sense of our cohesion, our an exclusive interview. size, our significance. And that’s ” 4 ICA-Americas Newsletter // Issue Nº 19 // November 2013 outside of ourselves. Cooperatives have spent too long talking to each other. We need to bring more peo- ple into our world. We need to show more people what coops can do for them. We can show them how we can put food in their chil- dren’s stomachs, give them homes, provide health for them, housing, agricultural coops. It can do all these things. Many more people need to know about it. Our big ambition is to grow the coopera- somewhere in the world. In which ways could coopera- tive movement across the world. One thing about coops it is they tives take part in this initiative? That’s what the International Year share; so if there’s something hap- Cooperatives are absolutely the es- has given us. pening in India that might work sential part of it. All our coopera- What is the message you would here, they’ll tell you how to do it. tives need to be as good as they like to share with the coopera- And that’s what’s great about this can be to showcase to the world tives in the Americas? movement.

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