Co-operatives for sustainable development

Abstract

Co-operatives are recognised as important vectors for achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) set out in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development because they promote democracy, ensure fair income distribution, foster social inclusion, and care for the environment. However, the focus of co-operatives on members and local community diminishes their national and international visibility, adversely affecting their potential contribution to the realisation of SDGs. The authors of this short article are co-leading an interdisciplinary research project, funded by the Independent Social Research Foundation and endorsed by the UK Society for Co-operative Studies, that conceptualises co-operatives as commons institutions and considers how mobilising the notions of institutional complementarities and polycentric governance can help promote the view that co-operatives can make a significant contribution to the sustainable development agenda.