From 9-11 April 2025, government representatives, leaders, and prominent ecosystem stakeholders from bilateral and multilateral organisations at the forefront of social innovation gathered in Luxembourg for the first high-level Global Government Summit.
The event discussed deeply rooted challenges such as growing inequality and combating climate change, and also explored opportunities for building a more sustainable, equitable, and just global economy through the lens of social innovation.
Cooperatives were part of this conversation, with Joseph Njuguna, ICA Policy Director, participating in a panel looking at how governments can leverage the expertise of ecosystem builders of social innovation to design effective policies and investment strategies.
Moderated by Mario Duran, National Director of the Social and Solidarity Economy of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Costa Rica, the event saw Njuguna joined by leaders from private foundations and other social innovators who shared key learnings.
“Cooperatives are not new players in the world of social innovation – they have been shaping it for over a century,” said Njuguna. “I’d call them the social innovation infrastructure of communities across the globe.”
He described how cooperatives, because of their values-led foundation, “are living examples of innovation rooted in collective need, not individual gain”.
He added that the UN Declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives “is a true testament to the recognition of cooperatives' contribution to sustainable development goals as key drivers of social, economic, and environmental sustainability at local, national, and international levels”.
But he also acknowledged the challenges and barriers social innovators face, including legal and regulatory environments that are not designed for participatory models, a lack of recognition in current national strategies and fragmented ecosystems and support structures. The way forward, Njuguna said, is to co-create solutions, invest in infrastructure, and embrace diversity and long-term thinking.
“Social innovation thrives when embedded in democratic ownership and collective resilience,” he said. “This is in the DNA of cooperatives and we stand ready to support governments in building thriving ecosystems of social innovation – ones that are inclusive, values-driven, and built to last.”
The summit also formally launched the GCSI – a global government alliance with the aim of outlining a clear, actionable strategy to accelerate global social impact – and saw the adoption of the Luxembourg Declaration.
The Declaration commits to social innovation as a driver of sustainable and inclusive development and economic growth and includes several priority actions for governments, including promoting policies and practices that raise awareness and understanding of social innovation; creating enabling environments; and leveraging technology.
(Photo: SIP / Claude Piscitelli)
