New Year 2012 Greetings!

Dear Friends,

In every new year, those involved in development work have the opportunity to make things even better. The combined efforts of people and organizations directed to the common good can make accomplishments possible despite challenges along the way.

In 2012, we in AWCF wish the best for our partner co-operatives and agencies. With renewed fervor, let us make each day count as we continue helping improve the lives of women and men in our communities, nations, and regions.

Happy New Year!

from the Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum

“Global300 Report 2010” announces world’s largest co-op enterprises

The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) launched on October 31, 2011 in New York City, USA, the “Global300 Report 2010,” which announced that the largest 300 co-operative enterprises in the world have a collective revenue of USD 1.6 trillion, comparable to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the world’s ninth largest economy.

The Report detailed that although co-operatives were affected by the global financial crisis in 2008, they provided stability and security due to their measured risk model and their emphasis on services to members–not just profits. As a result, the co-op model represents an important contribution to the economic and social well-being of populations and their communities. As ICA President Dame Pauline Green has said, “The diversity and robustness of the co-operative business model is based on principles and values. This is why co-operatives were resilient during the global financial crisis, employing over 100 million people worldwide and enabling the development and welfare of societies in the most competitive economies.”

The Report analyzed the co-ops by seven sectors: Agriculture/Forestry, Banking/Credit Unions, Consumer/Retail, Insurance, Workers/Industrial, Health, Utilities (and others). It detailed how the global financial crisis affected each industry. While co-operatives were not immune to financial hardship, their flexibility in responding to the shifting markets and the trust of their members enabled these businesses to survive and thrive.

The launch of the Report coincided with the United Nations (UN) “International Year of Co-operatives” in 2012, a monumental year that will provide a platform to educate the public on the strength and socio-economic value of co-operatives. Over the course of 2012, co-operatives around the world will join together in a series of events to raise awareness of the impact and importance of the co-op model on societies and economies around the world as well as promote their growth.

ICA is the global voice for the values-based business model of the co-operative, uniting co-ops worldwide and providing a forum for knowledge and concerted action. ICA was established by co-operatives in 1895, with current members in almost 100 countries representing one billion people. Co-ops are successful values-based businesses owned by their members. Whether they are customers, employees or residents, the members get an equal say in the business and a share of the profits. Employing 100 million people, co-ops are significant economic actors in many different sectors like agriculture and fisheries, retail, banking and financial services, housing, production, transport and tourism, and other sectors. The theme of the 2012 “International Year of Co-operatives” is “Co-operative enterprises build a better world.” More information is available at ica.coop

--Press Release from ICA, October 31, 2011

UN declares 2012 “International Year of Co-operatives”; ICA issues message

In year-end 2010, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared 2012 as the “International Year of Co-operatives.” The declaration recognizes co-ops contribution to socio-economic development, poverty reduction, employment generation, and social integration, worldwide.

Meanwhile, Director-General Charles Gould of the Geneva-based International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), the world’s largest grouping of co-ops globally, announced in early April 2011 that the UN has already released the logo for the 2012 celebration. The logo and guidelines for its use are available at http://social.un.org/coopsyear/iyclogo.shtml.

According to the ICA, in order for co-ops to download and use the logo, it will be necessary to request permission from the UN by submitting the "liability waiver," which is accessed through the said site. A separate box on the request on the site requires the downloading party to indicate if it is a co-op, as distinguished from other commercial enterprises. ICA notes in its message that some of its member-organizations may find that they are best categorized as a civil society organization, which is acceptable to the request required for the logo.

Likewise in it message to co-ops, ICA also expresses its position that if its members use the UN-issued logo on any of their communications, it will be for information purposes, such as for, but not limited to, web sites, brochures, annual reports, product packages, shopping bags. If the members want to use the logo for fund-raising purposes associated with the 2012 “International Year of Co-operatives,” they should indicate this purpose in the request in the UN website.

ICA’s assistance to members on questions regarding the logo and guidelines is offered by emailing Ms Nicola Kelly, ICA's Co-ordinator for the International Year of Co-operatives, at kelly@ica.coop. Each member, however, that wishes to use the logo is expected to follow the process identified on the UN site.

Information regarding use of the logo in the official UN languages and in other languages is explained on the UN site. On questions received on the use (for the logo, graphic tag, and slogan) of the word "cooperative" with a hyphen (that is, "co-operative," as practiced in some countries and some entities), the UN has advised ICA that only one English version is permitted, that is, without the hyphen. ICA says that it will continue to seek redress on this matter, as the ICA itself and a number of its members hyphenate the word “co-operative.”

But since ICA has also pointed out that guidelines on using the word “cooperative” apply only to logo and to the graphic tag (the graphic tag is the specifically stylized version of the slogan), the slogan itself for the co-ops’ International Year (which is, "Cooperative enterprises build a better world") may be used as deemed appropriate by the members for as long that it is not in the stylized graphic

tag format. ICA states that this guideline should give co-op organizations the latitude to use the hyphenated version "Co-operative enterprises build a better world." Co-ops can also add explanatory text in some uses, such as "The United Nations has declared 2012 to be the International Year of Co-operatives." When

using the slogan or explanatory text in this fashion, ICA explains that co-ops should make certain that they follow and respect the guidelines that require a certain distance from the logo itself.

The ICA message also declares hope that co-op organizations will begin to incorporate the logo and slogan in their communications materials, so that all will be ready in time for the celebration in 2012.

The AWCF is a member of the ICA-Asia and Pacific’s Regional Women’s Committee.