Co-op News

Europe’s agri co-ops apex COPA COGECA has hit out at trade deal finalised by European Commission and Mercosur officials on 6 December, warning it will have “profound consequences” for Europe’s farmers. https://lnkd.in/d5iM_AcZ

Community Energy England (CEE) hosted its annual awards in Bristol last month, honouring successes in categories such as fuel poverty, collaboration and innovation. Winners include  Bristol Energy Co-op, Midcounties’ joint venture with Octopus Energy, Younity, and Joe Fortune and his team at the Co-op Party https://lnkd.in/eacQ2j5z

The four Cooperative Hall of Fame inductees for 2025 have been announced by the US Cooperative Development Foundation: Lori Capouch, North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives; Randy Lee, PCC Community Markets; Tom Webb, International Centre for Co-operative Management and, in the Unsung Hero category, Estelle Witherspoon, Freedom Quilting Bee. https://lnkd.in/ewsEqW3c

UK insurer Cirencester Friendly Society Limited has joined the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF), the umbrella body for more than 200 organisations in 60 countries.

A global surge of refugees and migrants seeking economic opportunities make the need for inclusive, democratic and #cooperative models more pressing than ever. As the International Year of Co-operatives gets closer, Trebor Scholz, Anne-Pauline de Cler, Michelle Lee, Morshed Mannan and Stefano Tortorici look at the need to reform #coops law and the way inclusive business models like co-ops and member-managed limited liability companies can address global challenges around the #futureofwork.

Saskatchewan #creditunions Conexus Credit Union, Cornerstone Credit Union - Saskatchewan and Synergy Credit Union have established a joint partnership committee to explore the possibility of a merger

Dairy co-op Arla Foods defends trials of Bovaer, an animal feed supplement designed to cut methane emissions from cattle, from online 'misinformation'

#Cooperatives are well known for their resilience, particularly in times of crisis – but this resilience is being tested in #Gaza after a year of war, where damage to infrastructure, the deaths of members and leaders, and a squeeze on resources are making it difficult for the co-op sector to continue. Can co-ops survive this Israel-Gaza war? asks Anca Voinea. Read our interview with Edin Abu Taha, chair of the Union of Housing Cooperatives (UHC) in #Palestine, here: https://lnkd.in/esahkeAU

just occasionally, lawyers from different firms find common cause. Cliff Mills and I have been privileged to work alongside Malcolm Lynch, Julian Blake, Luke Fletcher and Oliver Hunt in preparing a joint response to the Law Commission review on co-operative and community benefit society law. Anthony Collins will be submitting our collective work as part of our response to the consultation on Monday. Our thanks to Co-op News for highlighting the outcome: https://lnkd.in/e9fXtWcV

The UK co-op movement is mourning the loss of Emma Howard, who died last month, aged 35, following a short illness. Emma sat on the board of East of England Co-op, was vice-chair of Co-operatives UK, and was part of the Open Data Services Co-operative. An intrepid explorer, thoughtful co-operator and independent woman, she inspired all who knew her and will be hugely missed. Read our tribute to Emma here - with contributions from Joy Burnford, Mandy Errington, Sally Chicken, Rose Marley and Cheryl Barrott – and please share your own memories below, which we will include in Co-op News next month. https://lnkd.in/e7vQHbny