Since 2018, the World Cooperative Monitor includes analysis of the contribution of the Top 300 to the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The United Nations has recognized the centrality of sustainable economic growth, placing it at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 17 SDGs, with their clear benchmarks and deadline for meeting the objectives, are one of the strongest attempts to respond to the challenges related to the future of our society.
And cooperatives are well positioned to play a key role in achieving the SDGs. The values and principles that underscore the cooperative model enable cooperative businesses to address economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The World Cooperative Monitor focus on SDGs attempts to demonstrate how cooperatives can and do achieve sustainability goals. In 2018, we examined the Top 300’s use of global SDG reporting tools. In 2019 the focus turned specifically to SDG 8 and actions that cooperatives can take within their own organisations to ensure full, productive employment and decent work. The 2020 chapter on SDG 13 brings the attention to the contribution of large cooperatives to mitigating and adapting to climate change, and in general creating a greener society. And in 2021 we review large cooperatives' actions towards achieving the SDGs and contributing to the COVID-19 recovery.
Concrete examples of actions taken by large cooperatives demonstrate how the contributions of cooperatives can be fundamental on several fronts, not just within their cooperative but also in promoting and encouraging change in the actions of partners, members, clients, and local communities.
Below are the four years of chapter extracts, along with case studies demonstrating concrete actions in line with the objectives of the SDGs taken by large cooperatives.
- Case stories featured in 2020: Rabobank (Netherlands). With a special guest interview with Peter Westall, Chief Values Officer at Midcounties Co-operative (UK).
- Case stories featured in 2019: Up Group (France), SOK (Finland), Kribhco (India). With a special guest interview with Diana Dovgan, CICOPA Secretary General.
- Case stories featured in 2018: Grupo Sancor Seguros (Argentina), Metsä Group (Finland), Sicredi (Brazil). With a special guest interview with Enrico Giovannini, Spokesperson for the Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development.
