Mutuo has launched a new influencing strategy document for consumer co-operatives. The policy guide, co-produced with Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide [CCW], makes the case for consumer co-ops and demonstrates their importance to the global economy and wider society.
The document sets out a number of ways in which a better policy environment for consumer co-ops could be created, including:
- Adoption of the 2002 UN recommendation that governments should support co-ops
- Ensuring government departments and ministers are sufficently skilled to work with co-ops
- Improving education about co-ops
- Adopting the legal principle of ‘indivisible reserves’ to safeguard co-op assets
- Legislating for new co-op capital raising instruments
- Permitting more cross border trading for co-ops
- Better collection of statistics nationally and internationally
Speaking at the launch of the guide in Moscow, Mark Willetts said:
“We want to ensure the best possible business environment for consumer co-ops. These businesses are the original type of co-op. They provide significant competition for consumers and drive up standards of safety, quality and sustainability. CCW’s guide sets out a number of key measures that should be adopted to ensure this sector continues to grow and thrive.”
The document is the latest in a series of policy guides that Mutuo has co-authored in order to boost the international co-operative and mutual sector, having previously published guides with ICMIF, AMICE, the ICA and Australia’s BCCM.