Cooperatives are a vital driving force in creating inclusive and resilient economies worldwide. Their significant economic impact underscores their essential role as key partners in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Every year, on the first Saturday of July, the world comes together to celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives—a tradition dating back to 1923 and officially recognized by the United Nations since 1995. In 2025, the UN has declared the International Year of Cooperatives, highlighting the pivotal role cooperatives play as catalysts for social and economic development.
This year’s theme, Cooperatives Build a Better World, celebrates the transformative power of cooperatives in fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient global society. It emphasizes their indispensable role in tackling today’s most urgent challenges and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
The global impact of cooperatives
Cooperatives are much more than a business model—they are engines of positive change. With over 3 million cooperatives worldwide and at least 1.2 billion members, they operate across a broad range of sectors including agriculture, finance, energy, healthcare, housing, and industry. The world’s top 300 cooperatives alone generate a combined turnover of $2.4 trillion and provide stable employment to approximately 280 million people, representing nearly 10% of the global workforce.
A defining feature of cooperatives is their democratic governance structure, where each member has an equal voice, ensuring decisions genuinely reflect the collective interests of the community. This inclusive approach fosters a strong sense of ownership and commitment, while promoting values such as transparency and accountability.
In recent years, cooperatives have demonstrated remarkable economic resilience, often outperforming traditional enterprises during crises by prioritizing the stability and well-being of their members and local economies. Beyond economic considerations, cooperatives are deeply rooted in social and environmental responsibility. Their ethics revolve around sustainability, equity, and the long-term welfare of the communities at the heart of their activities, making them powerful agents of positive societal change.
ISINNOVA: Championing cooperative innovation and sustainability
At ISINNOVA, we are proud to be a cooperative. Since 1971, we have established ourselves as leaders in research, innovation, and strategic foresight, both across Europe and internationally.
Our core mission is to support public bodies, institutions, and stakeholders in creating pathways to sustainable growth and innovation. We achieve this by combining deep technical expertise with an extensive partner network and strong administrative capabilities, transforming traditional consultancy into true strategic empowerment. By applying systems thinking and advanced quantitative modeling, we help develop robust, future-oriented strategies that enable organizations to anticipate and adapt to emerging challenges. From horizon scanning to consensus building, ISINNOVA crafts medium- and long-term strategies for entities at various governance levels.
Moreover, ISINNOVA plays a critical role in assisting partners to secure essential funding for research and innovation projects, ensuring impactful ideas come to fruition. By facilitating internationalization and network expansion, we promote collaboration among European countries and foster knowledge exchange that enriches all involved. With over 130 successfully completed international projects, we have earned a reputation as a trusted partner for organizations navigating complexity and striving to drive meaningful, lasting change.
Highlighting our impactful projects
Among our most significant initiatives are REBALANCE, which tackled the future of urban mobility; TRIGGER, which advanced global governance frameworks; and TRANS-URBAN EU-CHINA, which promoted sustainable development between European and Chinese cities. ISINNOVA’s involvement in projects such as iCOSHELLs and BIOMETHAVERSE further illustrates our tangible impact: iCOSHELLs supports soil health restoration across Europe by establishing innovative Soil Health Living Labs that foster stakeholder collaboration and sustainable practices. BIOMETHAVERSE aims to increase biomethane production, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening Europe’s renewable energy sector.
Capacity building and knowledge sharing
Our expertise in international projects like AI4SoilHealth and SINFONICA underscores our commitment to integrating advanced technologies and user-centric strategies into sustainable practices. AI4SoilHealth leverages artificial intelligence to improve soil health measurement, while SINFONICA promotes inclusive automated mobility, emphasizing social equity in technology deployment.
Effective communication and stakeholder engagement
Communication remains a cornerstone of cooperative success. ISINNOVA provides tailored strategic communication services designed to engage stakeholders effectively. We offer comprehensive branding, digital presence management, and multimedia content creation—including videos, animations, and infographics—to boost visibility and impact. Our agile approach ensures that both public and private sector entities can communicate effectively with their respective audiences.
Building the cooperative future together
On this International Day of Cooperatives, ISINNOVA reaffirms its commitment to international cooperation, strategic foresight, and innovative research. We invite institutions, public bodies, and stakeholders to join us in building resilient communities and economies capable of meeting tomorrow’s challenges. Together, through collaboration and innovation, we can truly build a better, more sustainable world for the future.
