June 13th, 2024. 12:15 pm ET
This global roundtable is poised to catalyze a pivotal discussion on the transformative power of cooperative models in enhancing community well-being. It will critically assess the claims of cooperatives regarding democratic governance, economic stability, fairness, and significant improvements in community and member benefits.
The necessity of this conversation is underscored by the global patchwork of legal frameworks, which often makes launching platform cooperatives in some jurisdictions challenging or places them at a severe disadvantage compared to other business forms. In the United States alone, only 19 states have enacted cooperative statutes, while in many countries, legal constraints make it extremely difficult or even impossible to establish worker cooperatives. This stark variation highlights the urgent need to explore how these legal barriers directly hinder the growth of ventures centered around cooperative principles.
Furthermore, the roundtable will serve as a forum for participants to pose questions and emphasize that adherence to cooperative principles allows for a broad range of organizational structures without necessitating formal incorporation as a cooperative. It will also examine the roles of non-user investor members and delve into cutting-edge organizational forms such as LLC worker cooperatives, Distributed Autonomous Organizations, and Limited Cooperative Associations (LCAs).
The goal is to drive an informed debate on the varied collectives that uphold cooperative principles and to evaluate their capacity to drive meaningful change, maintaining a balanced and critical viewpoint without advocating for any single approach. This event is part of the ICA’s process of consultations on cooperative identity, contributing to a global understanding and refinement of cooperative principles
Admission is free but registration is required.
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Participants (List in flux):
Anh-Thu Nguyen
Director of Strategic Partnerships, Democracy At Work Institute
Hagen Henrÿ
Former Chief of the Cooperative Branch of the ILO
Santosh Kumar
Director of Legislation at the International Cooperative Alliance, Global Office
Trebor Scholz
Founding Director, Platform Cooperativism Consortium
Gowri J. Krishna
Professor of Law, New York Law School