In November of 2023, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2025 the second International Year of Co-ops under the theme, “Co-operatives Build a Better World.” A central focus of the celebration is the contribution of the movement to the UN’s “Agenda for Sustainable Development,” which concludes in 2030. A plan of action for “people, planet and prosperity,” the agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are relevant to the co-operative movement and our common future. For example, the resolution recognizes the role of co-ops in building a more inclusive economy, addressing climate change, and contributing to food security.
The resolution also highlights the recommendations of the UN Secretary General Report on Co-operatives in Social Development, which calls on governments to support co-ops as sustainable enterprises that contribute directly to good jobs, hunger alleviation, and financial inclusion. Toward this end, it recommends reviewing existing legislation and regulations to ensure that the legal and regulatory environment is in alignment with the Co-operative Identity and conducive to the creation and growth of co-operatives. Since our founding, co-op law has been an area central concern for the NFCA, reflected in our Resolution on the Co-operative Legal Identity, efforts to challenge laws not in alignment with Co-operative Principles, and updating outdated statutes impeding co-op development.
The NFCA was a leader in celebrating the first International Year in 2012, and our core vision is as relevant as ever as we work to build a thriving co-operative economy, rooted in a healthy, just and sustainable regional food system and a vibrant community of co-operative enterprise. Together, we are supporting the shared success of our food co-ops, increasing our impact on food security and sustainability, and engaging in policy advocacy to build a better future for everyone.
There is growing recognition that co-ops have much to offer to the challenges and opportunities that we face today. Co-ops are also more common than one might think, from farmer co-ops to food co-ops, worker co-ops to credit unions, housing co-ops to energy co-ops. The International Co-operative Alliance estimates that a billion people worldwide belong to co-ops. And here in the U.S., an estimated 1 in 4 Americans are members of a co-operative or credit union — or both!
Every day, the co-operative movement enables people around the world to help themselves and strengthen their communities. Let’s take the opportunity presented by 2025 to celebrate this history, tell our stories, and present a vision for the future that offers hope and inspiration — and then build a better world, together.
