Cooperatives around the world
HealthPartners: the largest healthcare cooperative in the USA
This healthcare cooperative is the largest one in the country, with over 1.8 million members with medical and dental health plans all over the country.
Cooperatives are organisations in which a group of people get together to create a business. In this type of organisation, all members have the same decision-making power, given that each member has one vote.
Cooperatives, by sectors
34% Agriculture
29% Insurance
19% Commerce
13% Finance
3% Education, healthcare and social work
2% Manufacturing
Source: World Cooperative Monitor 2023
What makes a cooperative unique?
Cooperatives operate under the principles of democracy, equality and solidarity, always prioritising people over capital. Their profits do not go to a few, but are rather reinvested in the community, promoting local growth that has a direct impact on the well-being of all. Co-operatives are governed by clear and internationally shared principles.
Cooperative values
- Democracy
- Equality
- Solidarity
- Sustainability
- Equity
- Social Justice
- Self-Responsibility
- Ethics
What defines a cooperative?
- Real democracy: In a cooperative, every member has a voice and a vote. It is a true enterprise of the people, for the people.
- Equality and solidarity: Without discrimination due to gender, race or social status, co-operatives are open to everybody.
- Autonomy and independence: They are free and self-managed, ensuring that their decisions always benefit their members and their environment.
- Commitment to the community: Cooperatives not only generate employment, but also promote sustainable development at the local level.
This is the impact cooperatives have on the world.
3 million cooperatives
280 million employees
>12% of the population is linked in some way to a cooperative
How do cooperatives contribute to sustainable development?
Cooperatives are key actors in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They not only create decent jobs and eradicate poverty, but also strive to promote social inclusion, gender equality and environmental sustainability. Deeply rooted in their communities, they are the perfect vehicle for achieving positive and lasting impact.
- They are part of an economy that cares for people and the environment, doing business for the good of all.
- They support the most vulnerable people, engaging women, youth, the elderly and people with disabilities in economic and social growth.
- They help make climate change less hard on people, while working to adapt to its effects.
- They follow the values of cooperation and mutual aid, which involve people making decisions democratically.
- They focus on people's well-being more than on making money.
- They distribute wealth among the population so that everyone benefits.
- They help to improve access to food around the world by working to make food systems more fair and sustainable.
The future is cooperative!
The International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025) is a celebration proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly to highlight the valuable contribution of co-operatives to the socio-economic development of countries.
The first International Year of Co-operatives was held in 2012 with the aim of raising awareness of the important work carried out by cooperatives. The second International Year will be celebrated in 2025, under the slogan “Cooperatives build a better world”.
Objectives of the International Year of Cooperatives
- Involve individuals and communities in the activities of cooperatives.
- Tell more people what co-operatives are and what they do, so that everyone is more aware of them.
- Make co-operatives better known throughout the world.
- Strengthen collaboration between co-operatives, governments and other organisations.
- Create an environment where co-operatives can work and grow more easily.
