The ICA International Cooperative Entrepreneurship Think-tank (ICETT) held an in-person meeting in Manchester on 3 July to focus on strategic planning and priority topics.
Participants heard from ICETT Chair, Thomas Blondeel, who updated them on the recent Cooperative Member Benefits Report and webinar, which attracted over 200 participants from around the world.
ICA Director General Jeroen Douglas reported back on the first CM50 meeting, which took place in Madrid in May. CM50 is an important new beginning for CEOs of cooperatives and mutuals who have been longing to have such a platform, he said. The platform also helps connect leaders from different sectors and the wider movement, he added.
Participants agreed that ICETT’s role would be to ground the CM50 vision in practical action.
ICETT members also heard an update from Gianluca Salvatori from Euricse, on the upcoming special IYC2025 edition of the World Cooperative Monitor. Due to be released at the World Social Summit in November, the report will feature data on the world’s largest 300 cooperatives, as well as interviews with leaders of large cooperatives.
“The World Social Summit is an opportunity to show the underused potential of cooperatives,” said Mr Salvatori.
ICA Director of Policy, Joseph Njguna, offered an overview of the ICA’s current engagements ahead of the Summit, highlighting that cooperatives are already mentioned in the Summit’s zero draft declaration. However, he said the ICA would continue to push for stronger recognition.
Participants pledged to continue engaging with their national apexes and governments to push for stronger recognition in the final declaration.
The meeting also touched on the need to continue coordinating actions with other ICA bodies, such as CM50, the Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR) and the ICA Communications team. Participants also explored how to regenerate membership in an ageing society and position ICETT as an innovation hub.
