This interview with Alliance president, Ms Monique Leroux, appeared in Ie No Hokari (Morning Light), a Japanese family monthly. Please find a translation below!
My great journey with Desjardins Group and the cooperative movement started in 2001 when I joined the senior management team. But truly, I feel like I have been a cooperator all my life as I have always strived to balance economic action and social responsibility. I remember reading about Alphonse Desjardins, founder of Desjardins, and being inspired by his desire to empower his community and his dedication to helping others. Together with his wife, Dorimène, they built an organization that has shaped the development of an entire province. This is the power of cooperation.
Today, as Chair of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer, I have the great privilege to lead Desjardins, the largest cooperative financial group in Canada, sixth in the world, with assets of $229.4 billion. All that, while remaining true to cooperative values.
I also believe in intercooperation. This is why I founded and co-hosted, along with the International Co-operative Alliance (the Alliance), the International Summit of Cooperatives in 2012. The 3rd edition of the Summit will be held in Quebec City from October 11 to 13, 2016.
I am also heavily involved with our regional and national Apex organisations, which represent cooperatives from all regions, sectors and sizes. Working with these organizations is a tremendous opportunity to leverage our collective power of action. I am particularly proud that, at the regional level, we developed an action plan with the objective of creating 20 000 jobs by 2020 and that we are well on our way to achieve it. In 2012, I also worked at the creation of our new national Apex organization, Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada. Since 2013, I have the great privilege to sit on the Alliance board of directors and to chair the Alliance’s International Accounting & Regulatory Affairs Committee.
This past November, I had the honor of being elected as president of the International Co-operative Alliance. I am extremely thankful for the trust and support of cooperators around the world and for the opportunity to contribute to building a stronger global cooperative movement. I want to salute Dame Pauline, previous president, who has accomplished tremendous work and set the cooperative movement on the path to success.
I look forward to collaborating with Japanese cooperators at building an even more vibrant global cooperative movement. I also look forward to continuing the work with colleagues from the Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives (Ja-Zen-Chu) who generously hosted me for a visit last April and for whom I have the deepest respect.
