LONDON — The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) has formally rolled out its macro-strategy for the remainder of the decade, anchoring its vision in a highly ambitious roadmap designed to rapidly scale the financial and social footprint of the global cooperative sector.
Titled "Practice, Promote, and Protect," the 2026–2030 Global Strategy sets a transformative agenda to expand economic democracy worldwide. Chief among its long-term targets is a blueprint to scale the collective global turnover of cooperative enterprises from its current baseline of $3.7 trillion USD to an unprecedented $5 trillion USD by the year 2035.
Representing over 3 million cooperatives and 1 billion members globally, the newly ratified plan positions the cooperative business model as a central, necessary solution to contemporary economic volatility, wealth inequality, and technological disruption.
The sweeping macro-strategy rests on three primary operational pillars:
Identity & Culture: The ICA will lead a comprehensive renewal of the global Statement on the Cooperative Identity. This modernization effort aims to directly address 21st-century economic landscapes, specifically defining how cooperative values interface with the gig economy, artificial intelligence (AI), and decentralized tech platforms.
Policy & Influence: To close the persistent gap between theoretical legal recognition and actual supportive legislation, the alliance is stepping up its diplomatic advocacy. The ICA plans to work directly alongside major global frameworks—including the United Nations, the G20, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)—to mandate cooperative-friendly legal and regulatory environments.
Growth & Innovation: On the commercial front, the strategy outlines the creation of "Coop Tech"—an enhanced, unified digital member platform. The infrastructure is designed to leverage data and shared tech assets, giving small-scale and regional cooperatives the collective technological power to remain globally competitive against major corporate conglomerates.
"This plan is more than a document—it is a compass for our future," stated Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance, during the strategy's unveiling. "Together, by practicing, promoting, and protecting cooperation, we will continue to show that another way of doing business is not only possible—it already exists."
With cooperatives already accounting for roughly 10% of global employment, the ICA's 2026–2030 framework aims to shift the sector from an "alternative" economic model to an essential pillar of global commerce. Industry analysts suggest that hitting the $5 trillion target will heavily depend on how effectively the "Coop Tech" platform can be deployed across developing markets over the next four years.