2024 Rochdale Pioneers Award nominations are open until 31 August!

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) has opened nominations for the 2024 Rochdale Pioneers Award.

Launched in 2000, the Award aims to recognise, in the spirit of the Rochdale Pioneers, an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the global cooperative movement. Under special circumstances, a cooperative organisation can also be recognised.

The ICA is inviting nominations from member organisations and organisations sharing the same values as those of the cooperative movement. Nominees can be current or former members or employees in an ICA member organisation or in one of that organisation’s members or affiliates. For an organisation to be nominated, it must be an ICA member organisation or one of its members or affiliates.

To be eligible for the award, a nominee must have visibly demonstrated benefit to the global cooperative movement; been innovative; been financially sustainable and of a permanent nature; been a leader in the cooperative movement; and demonstrated commitment to the cooperative principles.

The deadline for nominations is 31 August 2024.

The award will be presented during a Gala dinner at the ICA Global Conference and General Assembly in New Delhi, India (25-30 November 2024).

More information on the award and how to submit nominations is available here.

ICA members can contact guarrella@ica.coop if they have any questions about the process.

A list of all the laureates can be found here.

Who were the Rochdale Pioneers?

The Rochdale Pioneers were 28 artisans working in the cotton mills in the town of Rochdale, in the UK, who in 1844 established the first modern cooperative business, the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society. At the time, they were facing precarious working conditions and low wages, meaning they could not afford the high food prices. To address this, they pooled resources and opened a store to sell flour, oatmeal, sugar and butter. Customers of the store became members of the society and had a stake in the business.

Their story was depicted in the 2012 film, The Rochdale Pioneers, which was commissioned by The Co-operative Group to mark the first International Year of Cooperatives. New Delhi Global Conference attendees will have the opportunity to watch a special screening as part of the celebrations in New Delhi. 

Photo: the 2019 Rochdale Pioneers Award laureates, Howard Brodsky and Kim Byeong-won