By Sng Ler Jun, content strategist, Singapore National Co-operative Federation
More than 130 participants attended the recent Annual Co-operative Leaders’ Conference (ACLC) in Penang, Malaysia – gathering individuals from 26 unique co-ops, stakeholders from the Singapore co-operative movement and representatives from the Singapore National Co-operative Federation (SNCF).
Minister without portfolio Lim Boon Heng highlighted the role co-ops have played against the backdrop of Singapore’s rapid development.
“Each age has its own problems,” he said, “so it is necessary from time to time to examine how the principles of co-operation and mutual self-help can be used to solve these problems.
“The next century of the Singapore co-operative movement hinges on the leaders we develop, the decisions we make, and the values we uphold.”
But co-ops are not the only players doing good today – and no single organisation can meet every need. Instead, diverse players like co-ops, social enterprises, or charities offer unique solutions to society’s complex challenges.
“You must offer something unique to the members you serve,” said Dr Wilson Chew, a representative from the Singapore Institute of Directors. “If two or more organisations offer similar services or products to the same segment of society, it is often the cheaper alternative that will survive.”
Co-operatives, with their strong governance practices and commitment to social missions, can still stand out, he added: the key is to first build continuity and resilience.
Related: Singaporean government plans fund for co-ops helping vulnerable communities
In his keynote, Chew, who is also managing partner of growth advisory firm J.P. Wilson, proposed that co-operatives consider applying institutional practices within their organisations. Not a newfangled concept, it means businesses embedding certain practices and norms within their organisations to ensure success.
A simple analogy: on a playground, children can enjoy their time as long as there are a few basic rules – take turns, be fair, play safe. Similarly, in business, institutionalisation creates a set of rules or guidelines that everyone can follow to keep things running smoothly, even as new people join or leave.
Institutionalisation means good governance and succession planning, healthy employee and member engagement, access to capital and funding, and yardsticks for growth.
To ensure business continuity, Dr Chew urged co-operatives to constantly explore prospective markets to tap into. “We should not be shy about generating money, especially when we are doing good with it,” he said, noting that co-operatives, like any business, need to be financially sustainable to thrive. “If your social impact is high, you should generate more money to magnify the impact.”
By identifying and addressing unmet needs, co-ops can achieve both impact and stability, securing resources to continue their mission.
Related: Our coverage of the Global Cooperative Conference
Singapore’s government is committed to supporting co-operatives, said Crystal Du, from the Registry of Co-operative Societies (RCS). In 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, through RCS, has launched a series of initiatives reflecting its approach to nurturing the co-operative sector. They include amendments to the Co-operative Societies Act 1979, and well as working with SNCF and CCFC to implement the Sustainability Grant and Progressive Workplace Grant (Lite).
In May, some credit co-ops attended the customised Audit Committee Course to sharpen their audit committee members’ knowledge on risk management, internal controls, audits and financial reporting.
And next year, a $1m Empowering Communities Fund will be established to fund meaningful projects by co-operatives for vulnerable communities in Singapore.
Du stressed other ways for co-op leaders to do well – outsourcing if the co-op does not have internal expertise; merging to reap synergies and pool resources; leveraging external expertise; and inducting experts into co-op’s management committee.
Furthermore, exchange and immersion programmes would benefit co-operatives significantly, she said. The exchange partners could be non-co-ops such as charities.
In a highly digital world, businesses are increasingly turning to social media to strengthen their marketing strategies and boost brand awareness. But not all succeed: some local co-ops are struggling to navigate social media effectively. Communications strategist Ginny-Ann Oh said the poor social media presence among co-operatives may be due to a lack of technical know-how, resources, and inertia.
The proliferation of vertical, short form content across different forms of social media has changed the way the public consumes news and receive information, she added. Co-ops looking to amplify their brand awareness and reach out to new target markets must leverage various digital strategies, including search engine optimisation, traditional media outreach and social media campaigns.
As an example of how organisations can use social media, Oh told how Singapore’s ruling political party, the People’s Action Party (PAP), has embraced a myriad of social media strategies to engage youth and spotlight helpful initiatives. These include having ministers collaborate with some influencers, trend jacking viral soundtracks (Wes Anderson), or using relevant memes to bring across strategically crafted messages.
Co-ops, she said, “must not solely rely on traditional media outreach, like newspapers features or radio interviews” – but crucially, must also remember that “it’s never about going viral. It’s about meaning something.”
To drive action back home, Oh offered attendees an eight-step guide to creating content on social media. These steps include leveraging the right content pillars and choosing the right social media platforms for the right content.
Representatives from Angkasa, the apex organisation for co-operatives in Malaysia, also attended ACLC 2024. Dr Noraini Mohamad, its general manager of international affairs, gave insights on how the Malaysian co-operative movement is attracting and retaining talent.
These include scouting and retaining young talents through a slew of programmes, such as Co-operative Youth Talent Development Programme (KPT-CAP).
The former (KPT-CAP) took place in July 2023 with 50 final year university students and university alumni. Over a course of a week, they were introduced to the co-operative entrepreneurship eco-system and are exposed to various trainings, aimed at improving their hard and soft skills.
According to Dr Noraini, two youth co-operatives were born out of KPT-CAP and all of the participants became members of Koperasi Mahasiswa UMK.
