The International Labour Organization is holding an international Symposium on 16-17 November to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Cooperatives Unit (ILO COOP).
In addition to the Symposium, ILO COOP has been carrying out a series of activities to mark its centenary - the full list of initiatives is available here.
The two-day virtual event will bring together policy makers, researchers and practitioners who will highlight the contribution of cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy (SSE) in advancing social justice, decent work and sustainable development.
This Symposium will feature opening remarks from Guy Ryder, Director-General of the ILO and Ariel Guarco, President of International Cooperative Alliance (ICA).
Two publications will be launched during the event, a study on the Statistics of Cooperatives, which will explore concepts, classification, work and economic contribution measurements, and a virtual retrospective issue of Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics in partnership with COPAC and CIRIEC.
On the first day of the conference Hyungsik Eum, the ICA’s Strategy and Statistics Coordinator, will present a paper on producing statistics on work and employment in cooperatives. The symposium will explore a range of topics, including Prospects for the Social and Solidarity Economy, Cooperative Legislation and Policy, Statistics of Cooperatives and Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE), Cooperatives and Sustainable Development. and Platform Cooperatives.
Hagen Henry, the chair of the ICA Cooperative Law Committee will speak about the harmonisation of cooperative laws whilst Jeffrey Moxom and John Emerson of the ICA-EU Partnership #coops4dev research team will explore the elements supporting an enabling environment for cooperative enterprises, based upon their work on the legal frameworks analysis research, accessible here.
Vic van Vuuren, Director of ILO Enterprises Department and Simel Esim, Manager of the COOP Unit will deliver the closing remarks.
Sime Esim said: “During these two days of the ILO COOP 100 Symposium, we will reflect on cooperatives and the wider social and solidarity economy using historical perspectives, and looking into the role of legal and policy frameworks, measurements, management, sustainability, and future of work issues, among others.”
Those wishing to register for the event can do so here. More information on the Symposium, including the programme can be viewed here.
