Are we as co-operative as we think we are?

Italy. Wow. The country is beautiful, the people are passionate, and the co-op sector is incredible. This summer, I had the great privilege to be invited by Vancity to join their two-week study tour of the Italian co-op community as a representative of Assiniboine Credit Union, where I have been elected by the members to the Board of Directors.

With more than 111,000 co-ops serving their members, their impact in communities and the whole country is enormous. At the epicenter of the movement, the region of Emilia-Romagna has 8,000 co-ops, which represent 40% of the region’s GDP. Research evidence reveals that this co-operatization of the economy creates both a stronger economy, but also a fairer one—something that leads to greater social cohesion and societal stability.

What led to the permeation of co-ops in their economy, particularly in northern Italy, is a set of historical and cultural factors that we simply cannot replicate in Manitoba. However, the Italian story is also grounded in a strong dedication to a set of values – cooperation and reciprocity—that is at the root of their success. These values are not only held within a co-op between members, but as a vision for the future in solidarity with all other co-ops.

This values-guided vision has driven them to work as inspired grinders over decades to create an enabling ecosystem in which co-ops thrive. Yes, they do this for their own benefit as they know that a strong ecosystem will help strengthen their own co-op. However, their efforts are also inspired by a selfless vision for a different society where Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World—and they dedicate their own resources to achieving this vision even if it will not directly benefit their own co-op.