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The Role of Cooperatives

Cooperatives play a major role in creating an inclusive and sustainable economy around the world. As people-centered businesses, cooperatives enable a locally anchored development process, thanks to their specific model based on self-help, democratic ownership, and concern for the community.

To demonstrate the impact of Cooperative Development Organizations (CDOs), the U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council (OCDC) and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) joined forces to demonstrate the extensive reach and scope CDOs have - invoking greater collaboration with development partners. 

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What are CDOs?

Cooperative Development Organizations (CDOs) are cooperatives and cooperative support organizations, that support and/or implement development projects outside their home countries. CDOs believe that cooperatives are ideal engines for development, since they empower people to fulfill their human, social and economic rights and needs.

The data displayed on this portal provides access to information from around 30 CDOs. The goal is to strengthen the network, encourage world-wide exchanges and connect CDOs to new partners and stakeholders.

Cooperative Development Organizations

Legacoop (Alleanza Delle Cooperative Italiane)

Italian national apex cooperative organization representing around 10.000 cooperatives active in all the economic sectors, with 7.4 million individual members and over 450.000 employees. Legacoop is articulated in seven sectoral associations and regional/territorial branches covering the national territory. Legacoop supports cooperatives through specialized structures (for training, financial support, digitalization, etc.). 

Legacoop coordinates with other italian cooperative associations through the Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane.

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Equal Exchange

Equal Exchange is a worker-owned cooperative with a mission to build long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound, to foster mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and consumers and to demonstrate, through our success, the contribution of worker co-operatives and Fair Trade to a more equitable, democratic and sustainable world.

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HealthPartners

Founded in 1957 as a cooperative, HealthPartners is the largest consumer governed nonprofit health care organization in the United States - serving more than 1.5 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide.

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