The UN's 8th Sustainable Development Goal aims to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Cooperatives are well-placed to put this into practice, as demonstrated in the new Policy Brief on SDG 8 produced by COPAC and the ICA.
Cooperatives create pathways for informal workers to access social protection, enhance collective voice, and gain legal recognition; they expand opportunities for women, youth, and disadvantaged groups; and they are a resilient form of business. Globally there are a plethora of examples of cooperative enterprises making life better for workers.
The Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), is the oldest worker cooperative in India. Founded in 1925 in Kerala, it has grown from a small rural collective into one of the country’s largest and most diversified worker-owned cooperatives, specialising in construction work for various government departments, including the Public Works Department, National Highway, Irrigation, and Tourism.
It has an annual turnover of USD 300m and employs over 18,000 workers - who are also members of the cooperative – prioritising fair wages, comprehensive benefits, and inclusive policies as well as wages above industry standards, social security, housing support, and education initiatives. It promotes worker participation in decision-making and also emphasises ethical practices, inclusivity, and community welfare.
In Rwanda, over 12% of the country’s 10,103 registered cooperatives are transport-related, including 182 motorcycle cooperatives, including the Abahuza Cooperative. Established in 2009 in the country’s capital, Kigali, the organisation began in 2009 with 10 ex-combatants and a few motorcycles. Today it is a thriving enterprise, employing more than 450 drivers (including two women) — almost 100 of whom are ex-combatants.
Working with marginalised groups, including former soldiers, it’s a demonstration of how cooperatives have played a critical role in reintegrating marginalised groups in post-conflict Rwanda, as a step towards peace and stability.
The Federation of Cooperatives of the Verapaces (FEDECOVERA, R.L) in Guatemala is an autonomous second-level cooperative founded in 1976, that is dedicated to building a better future through shared benefits across its supply chain. Led by small producers organized in first-level cooperatives and associations, the group works with 8 products: cardamom, coffee, tea, allspice, cocoa, turmeric, essential oils and sustainable forestry. Through its work, it unites 33,000 producer families through 42 cooperatives and more than 21 associations, impacting approximately 100,000 Guatemalan families.
It aims to help farmers improve quality and quantity of products, build their capacity, and establish long-term partnerships with local and international customers who share their interests and values. Today, its operations have a significant emphasis on environmental sustainability, and thrives on showcasing the cooperative model as a catalyst to boost employment and the local economy, while preserving and celebrating the cultural, social, and environmental wealth of a region.
In Southern Italy, GOEL is a non-profit community movement challenging the mafia by building a legitimate economy based on ethically run social enterprises. It includes 13 social cooperatives, 2 agricultural cooperatives, 2 voluntary associations, 1 foundation and 32 predominantly agricultural enterprises. GOEL employs about 300 people directly, excluding external or temporary workers and consultants. Co-operative members now control more than 350 hectares of Calabrian farmland, more than half of that citrus and olive groves, but also operates in sectors such as health services, hospitality, ethical fashion, eco-tourism, textiles and cosmetics.
Through this, it aims to create an ethical, cooperative-based economy that resists organised crime, instead providing full and productive employment and decent work for all.
