Given the worldwide trends affecting co-ops even in the grassroots, and which were more and more revolutionizing the way that people conducted trade, business, governance, communication, and even their day-to-day interaction with one another, the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), the worldwide body of co-ops with headquarters in Switzerland, sought to strengthen and make more relevant the principles of co-operation that guided co-ops worldwide. Since ICA’s creation in 1895, it has been the final authority for defining co-ops and for elaborating the principles upon which they should be based.

After its first declaration of co-ops principles in 1937, ICA has periodically reviewed the principles—first in 1966, then in 1995. Therefore, after a lengthy process of consultation that involved thousands of co-ops around the world, the Statement on the Co-operative Identity (SCI) was adopted at the 1995 Centennial Congress of the ICA, held in England.

The SCI defines co-ops as an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.

The SCI also states that co-ops are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, co-op members are also believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

Most importantly, the SCI puts forth the seven Co-operative Principles that are guidelines by which co-ops put their values into practice. These co-op principles are:

• Voluntary and Open Membership
• Democratic Member Control
• Member Economic Participation
• Autonomy and Independence
• Education, Training and Information
• Co-operation among Co-operatives
• Concern for the Community

Adapted from: Trainer’s Manual on Transformative Leadership Training for Co-operatives, Asian Women in Co-operative Development Forum (AWCF), Quezon City, Philippines, 2001

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