Last year was momentous for Britain. The vote to leave the European Union not only cast a shadow of uncertainty over the economy, but also brought to light the sense of disillusionment and powerlessness people feel with the economy.
As the network for the UK’s thousands of co-operative organisations, from farmer owned businesses to worker owned tech companies, we argued in the media and to government that a co-operative response to feelings of powerlessness that drove the ‘take back control’ agenda is for people to take control of things that matter to them together – their work, their housing, the businesses they use. Co-operatives are a tried and tested vehicle for this, giving people ownership and a voice in the things that affect them.
Against this background, 2016 was also a year of real success for the co-operative sector. We have seen consolidation and development in some key areas where there is a need for more co-operation. Demand for community ownership continues to grow, with a series of strategic initiatives like the Community Shares booster programme helping support the sector. Issues around freelance workers are coming to a head, with unions pitched against businesses like Uber, and we are seeing more people understand how co-ops for freelancers can give workers security. The idea of ‘platform co-ops’ really took off, too, with widespread discussion and tech co-ops coming together to explore a co-op model to boost their impact. And in vital areas like social care and housing, the benefits of a co-operative approach are being seen at all levels.
In 2016 Co-operatives UK worked hard to promote, develop and unite co-ops. Almost 100 of our members took part in policy campaigns to help level the playing field for co-ops and lay foundations for longer term change. Our communications work generated media coverage at a local and national level. We launched The Hive, our business support programme, ran the first ever census of co-operatives and provided advice to hundreds of co-ops.
Our network also grew stronger, with almost 1,000 people attending events and training and some of the UK’s largest agricultural co-ops entering into membership. The year 2017 and beyond will be a time for Britain to think differently – and a time for co-operatives to shout louder, to demonstrate that co-operative ownership offers a compelling solution to Britain’s problems.
Responding to the ideas and concerns of many members, in 2017 we will launch a long-term strategy to strengthen and grow the UK’s co-ops. Based on dialogue and data across the co-op sector and beyond, it will help shape the foundations of a different kind of economy.
The strategy will create ways for co-operatives to connect, learn and trade with another, provide the leadership on co-operative governance and business needed for co-ops to thrive and develop mechanisms for replicating and spreading co-op successes.
And at the heart of this will be a new campaign to increase the visibility of co-operative organisations and inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs, activists and advisers to understand how the co-operative option can help them.
Over the coming year we will continue to develop the services that our members need, from our highly rated governance and legal advice through to our newer HR support service which is saving money for co-operative employers across the UK.
But more than anything, 2017 will be a time to think differently – about housing, work, local areas, business, the economy. We will be bringing together our aims of promoting, developing and uniting co-operatives into a focused area of work to inspire more people to choose a co-operative option and help our dynamic sector thrive.
