Co-operative leaders from across Singapore met in Indonesia for their annual conference to discuss on co-operatives in the 21st century. The event featured a series of presentations on social media, member engagement and co-operation among co-operatives.
The conference took place on 16-19 April in Bandung. Following a welcome speech from Mr Chan Tee Seng, President of Singapore National Co-operative Federation, co-operators took part in a session led by Silva Devireddy, Managing Director of www.GoCoop.com - a social marketplace for co-operative enterprises. Through GoCoop, co-operatives can list and sell their products online, a platform that provides a unique method of connecting buyers.
In a separate presentation, Mr P. Ramesh, marketing and events manager at SNCF asked delegates whether they were socialising on social media. He encouraged co-operatives to develop websites, and to create a social media presence to attract an increasing number of Internet-savvy customers, promote their brand and boost sales.
Delegates got the chance to hear from a number of co-operatives that have developed a strong social media presence, including Industrial & Services Co-operative Society Ltd (ISCOS), TCC Credit Co-operative Ltd, NTUC Fairprice Co-operative Ltd and Ngee Ann Polytechnic Consumer Co-operative Ltd (NP Co-op).
Ms Agnes Eu, Chief Executive of Home TeamNS, an association for Police and Civil Defence also shared her co-op’s experience of increasing membership.
The conference also featured the case study of Runninghour, a co-operative that aims to provide a platform to integrate people with special needs.
Speaking at the event, co-founder John See Toh explained why Runninghour aspired to be a co-operative and not a charity: “We are not helpless. We are a self-help group and in fact we like to help others. Being a co-operative will allow us to turn our passion for running into a business and this will propel us into the next level”.
Dr Carol Tan from The Good Life, a healthcare co-operative in the country, also believes the co-operative enterprise model is best suited to meet the needs of the patients. At the session “Why a Co-op and not a Pte Ltd?”, she said a co-operative is likely to place patients above profit. She commented: “The Good Life is for the people, by the people, with the people.”
Chef Executive of SNCF, Dolly Goh said the annual conference had been a great success, featuring "great speakers and wonderful stories".
