International Day of Co-ops & Sustainable Development Goals
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Published 5 Jul 2025 in Raising Awareness
Today marks the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) International Day of Cooperatives – a moment to celebrate the power of co-operation and the role that co-ops like us play in building a fairer, more sustainable world.
Since 2015, co-ops across the globe have backed the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We’ve worked with our members to shape a sustainability strategy rooted in these goals – focusing on the areas where we can have the greatest impact.
This year’s theme is ‘Cooperatives Build a Better World’, and we’re proud to be part of a movement turning those goals into real-world impact.
Our commitment is already driving action towards:
➡️ Creating fair and inclusive jobs through programmes like Bright Future Co-operative and the Fairer Futures Programme in Walsall with Miss Macaroon.
➡️ Supporting local communities by working with charity partners and funding local projects through our Doing Good Together Fund
➡️ Making energy cleaner and more affordable by improving energy efficiency, installing solar panels on our buildings, and backing community-owned energy through Younity
➡️ Taking action on climate change by setting science-based targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions
➡️ Reducing waste and supporting ethical trade through partnerships that tackle food waste and promote Fairtrade products
➡️ Working in partnership to create change by campaigning on key issues, supporting new co-ops, and funding global co-operative projects through the Fund for International Co-operative Development.
How Midcounties are involved
Today at Co-op Congress, our Chief Values Officer, Pete Westall will be hosting a special panel on Co-operatives for International Development.
The panel will reflect on international examples where co-operatives have come together to fund and work in solidarity with co-operatives on the ground. The panel will also reflect on new opportunities to deepen this collective work, including the role of the Fund for International Co-operative Development in helping co-operatives worldwide rebuild after crises and promote peace through co-operation.
On Wednesday, Mike Pickering, Head of Sustainability, presented at the Festival of Co-operation. Collaborating with The Co-op Group it was all about what Co-op Societies are doing to take climate action.
Find out more about the Fund for International Co-operative Development here.