Co-operative Conversations

Front cover of report When big co-ops fail

with Peter Couchman and Murray Fulton

28 September 2026 from 7pm (UK time)

When Big Co-ops Fail was first presented at the ICA Congress in Turkey in 2015. It challenged why the co-operative movement failed to learn from the repeating pattern of why large co-ops regularly fail and outlined five common factors, presented in reverse order. What its authors never expected was that eleven years on, the challenging presentation and its accompanying paper would still be in regular demand by co-operators and academics around the world.

This In Conversation session will include a short summary of the original presentation before a conversation with its authors, Peter Couchman and Professor Murray Fulton.

See the link below to book your place for this free online event ↓

Peter Couchman is the Board President of Demos Partners,a Canadian based co-operative development worker co-op. He has spent a lifetime working in co-operatives, including Oxford, Swindon & Gloucester Co-op and as CEO of the Plunkett Foundation. He is an associate researcher at the Centre for Co-operative Studies, University College Cork.

Murray Fulton is Professor Emeritus, at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Saskatchewan and Fellow in Co-operatives and Public Policy at the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives. He has written many articles and papers on industrial organisation, agricultural policy, and co-operatives.

Mike Wistow is a member of UKSCS and from 2019-2024 was a trustee and chair of the Society. He is currently on the board of directors at Lincolnshire Co-op and part of the National Members' Council (Independent Society Members). He has been hosting Co-operative Conversations since 2022.

Book tickets

Ticket	Cost	Quantity
Co-op Conversations with Couchman and Fulton	Free