A globally acclaimed political commentator and author, Robert Reich is one of the keynote speakers at the International Summit of Co-operatives. He will be addressing Summit delegates on 12 October.
Prof Reich has written 14 books, the latest being Saving Capitalism, which questions the free market ideal. At the Summit he will be examining the role of co-ops in the new economy and why the co-operative form of enterprise is important to resolving the dilemma of widening inequality.
“We are too focused on the shareholder and maximising shareholder return and too little focused on the well-being of employees and communities. I’m not suggesting that co-ops are the entire answer, but they’re a step in the right direction. One of the major economic advantages of co-ops is that everyone shares in the gains, and that widens the circle of prosperity that helps reducing inequality, that spurs employees to become more productive,” he said.
Robert Reich is currently Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley and has served as Secretary of Labour under the Clinton Administration. In 2008 Wall Street Journal placed him sixth in the list of the most influential business thinkers.
“I’m looking forward to talking with people from all over the world and learning about their experiences with co-ops and learning best practices, what seems to be working best and what can be tried in the USA, ” he added. To learn more about the Summit or to register for the event go to https://www.sommetinter.coop
