Importance of Statistics
It is important to collect statistics in co-operatives for many reasons. Statistics allow the ICA to analyse progress and trends in the growth and development of co-operatives. The data also has a key role for research, education, technical assistance, planning and public policy. Statistics also allow the movement to be able to compare itself to companies or other forms of enterprise. In other words, statistics allow us to tell our story with proof.
The Challenges
Statistical analysis and collection in the co-operative movement is challenging for a number of reasons:
- The relationships between various co-operative enterprises leads to potential double counting.
- There is a lack of statistical data available and reported to the ICA.
- The statistical data available is at different levels of co-operative structures. Statistics come in at different levels but one often only has a part of the story from each level: country-wide, federations, apexes, unions, primary co-operatives, etc.
- Organisations sometimes provide data of their own, or for their members only, or a combination of both.
- The data provided is not always accountable.
Therefore, in order to get the full picture in a country, it is necessary to collect data at many different levels, know the relationships between the organisations providing the data, and then analyse the output to decrease the potential for double counting.
The Future
The ICA has teamed up with Euricse to continue production of the Global 300 list, but under a new name, the World Co-operative Monitor, at http://www.euricse.eu/en/WorldCooperativeMonitor. They will be collecting statistics on all co-operatives worldwide, not just the top co-operatives.
Useful Links
Share your statistics today
Please send any statistics you have on your organisation, members and the movement of your country to Mrs Gretchen Hacquard, Director of Membership, hacquard@ica.coop
