PROMOTING COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT
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Rodrigo Gouveia

3 February 2020

Promoting Social Economy Should Be a Sustainable Development Strategy

The United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development is well underway, completing one-third of its lifespan at the end of the year. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the Agenda are the compass for national governments in implementing their national sustainable development strategies and policies.

The promotion and development of a “third sector” comprising cooperatives and other social economy organizations is not a sustainable development objective in the Agenda 2030 (even though, one could argue, it should be) and, most probably, will not be contemplated in national policies as well.

It is true that national policies for the promotion and development of the social economy can occur without the link to the SDGs and it is also true that, in some countries, this already happens. However, the link between social economy and sustainable development would probably guarantee more attention and resources from governments.

Therefore, it is a challenge for representative structures (e.g. federations, confederations, APEXs) to show that promoting cooperatives and other social economy organizations is not only a way to build a better world in terms of equality and social justice but also that they can be powerful instruments to help deliver sustainable developments goals. In other words, even though social economy promotion is not an SDG, as defined by the Agenda 2030, governments should be sensitized to the fact that cooperatives and other social economy organizations can help them deliver many of the goals that are normally found in national strategies.

National representative structures of the social economy should, therefore, aim to include a specific policy for its promotion within national sustainable development strategies.

What is the best approach to achieve this objective?

Firstly, it is important to note that any advocacy strategy should be adapted according to a variety of factors such as culture, political framework, size and weight of the social economy, and others. However, there are a few common principles that can serve as a basis for action:

- Gather data and information:

When advocating for a policy, it is important to give concrete examples and evidence of how cooperatives and social economy organizations can, in practice, achieve sustainable development goals. These examples and data should be representative and reproducible.

- Establish a plan:

There are many ways to go about it, but the important thing is that a plan should be in place. A plan should give an overview of the objectives, the initiatives, the timeframe, the ways to measure and monitor its outcomes, and the resources that will be needed.

- Build alliances and partnerships:

Usually, a policy will impact, positively and negatively, a large number of stakeholders. Identifying those stakeholders that can also benefit from the policies an organization is advocating for, and building coalitions, is helpful to persuade policymakers.

- Be clear, consistent, and constructive

It is essential to be clear about the policies the organization wants to see in place. It should not be expected that policymakers will come up with solutions for the problems that are being discussed, and it is always good to think about how solving those problems can also be a way to achieve their policy objectives. It is fundamental to have consistent communications, with simple messages, and be prepared to supply more in-depth and expert information when needed.

Following these basic principles will allow organizations to better address some of the challenges of public advocacy and, hopefully, help integrate the promotion and development of social economy into national sustainable development strategies.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect the views of PromoCoop and its partners.

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