There are 3 million co-operatives worldwide – that’s 1.2 billion members on the planet.

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) was founded in 1895 as the apex body representing these cooperatives, a global voice and forum for knowledge, expertise and coordinated action across sectors and regions.

The ICA is the guardian of the Statement on the Cooperative Identity, which was adopted in 1995 to provide a common definition of what cooperatives are and guidance on how they should act. This is what sets them apart from other businesses.

ICA World Cooperative Congresses are historical moments for the movement that bring co-ops and cooperators together to share, learn and grow. The 33rd Congress, to be held in South Korea in 2021, will explore the cooperative identity and celebrate both the ICA’s 125th anniversary and the 25th anniversary of the Statement on the Cooperative Identity.

Find out more about the ICA here.
Find out more about the cooperative identity here.