Conference 2018
Diversity in co-operation: People, place and organisation
UKSCS Annual Conference
31August - 2 September, 2018
Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
Opening Plenary
Rory Ridley-Duff delivered his inaugural professorial lecture on the subject of 'Diversity, co-operation and the fairShares model'.
The Co-operative movement in Sweden
Susanne Westhausen, CEO of Kooperationen (a confederation of co-operatives and social enterprises in Denmark) and current board member of the International Co-operative Alliance and Vice President of Co-operatives Europe
The Worker Co-operative Solidarity Fund
Siôn Whellans
Siôn is a founder member of the Worker Co-operative Solidarity Fund, vice president of CECOP-CICOPA (the European Federation of Co-ops in Industry and Services), and former Director of Co-operatives UK.
This short non-academic paper describes the background of the Worker Co-op Solidarity Fund (SolidFund); its origins; the motivation of its proposers and early members; subsequent growth path; critical success factors; and problematics. In this context, it is designed to provide insights to students and practitioners working in the field of cooperative development, and contribute to a wider discussion about cooperative self-help, collaboration (Principle Six), and resourcing the growth of the movement.
Panel Debate: Co-operatives and the social solidarity economy: Europe and beyond.
The final day ended with a panel debate. Panel members:
Dr Rocio Nogales, Managing Director of the EMES International Research Network, coordinator of a 4-year COST Action (EMPOWER-SE) that is investing in the next generation of co-operative and social economy researchers. Rocio presentation focused on building a network of researchers engaged in scholarly activities, and the role that EMPOWER-SE plays in bridging communities of scholars in over 40 countries who connect with each other across the social solidarity economy (SSE).
Cliff Southcombe, Managing Director of Social Enterprise International Ltd and a co-founder of FairShares Association Ltd (a specialist in supporting solidarity cooperatives and companies). Cliff's presentation focussed on the role that co-operatives and co-operation continues to play within the ecosystem of the SSE. As coordinator of Erasmus exchanges for social entrepreneurs across Europe, and as a partner in numerous funded and commercial projects, Cliff has wrestled at the boundary of ‘old’ and ‘new’ co-operativism for two decades. He discussed the potential for co-operative development in FairShares Labs and co-operative education in schools within the NEMESIS Horizon 20/20 project.
Cory Fletcher, Cory Fletcher works with Molly Scott Cato MEP on economics and finance, including sustainable finance.Cory's talk focussed on how social ownership in the sustainable finance agenda is key to its successful implementation. Co-operative banks have been leading actors in the consideration of the environmental, social and governance factors in sustainable investments. Institutional actors such as the UN and the EU are now recognising the urgent need for policy and regulation for sustainable finance.
Susanne Westhausen, CEO of Kooperation (a confederation of cooperatives and social enterprises in Denmark), current board member of the International Cooperative Alliance, and Vice President of Cooperatives Europe. Susanne built on her opening plenary by giving further insights into the way Danish co-operatives and social enterprises interact with the SSE. Based on work to develop national and international legal frameworks for co-operatives and social enterprises, she drew on her roles within CECOP-CICOPA, Co-operatives Europe and the ICA to discuss the challenges facing the co-operative movement.
Siôn Whellens, a founder member of the Worker Co-operative Solidarity Fund, vice president of CECOP-CICOPA (the European Federation of Co-ops in Industry and Services), and former Director of Co-operatives UK. Siôn built on his talk about the Worker Co-operative Solidarity Fund (SolidFund) based on his experience representing worker co-operatives within Co-operatives UK and CECOP-CICOPA. He outlined the potential of online communities to support worker co-operative development and mutuality in the SSE.
Co-operative News related articles - Anca Voinea, 2018
Rory Ridley-Duff argued for a multi-stakeholder mindset at the UKSCS conference in Sheffield
Co-op solidarity fund - when crowd funding meets co-op
Denmark is a country of associations - but people do not perceive co-ops as business models
UK Society for Co-operative Studies reports positive results
