Fondazione Barberini will be at the ICA EXPO in Manchester.

ICA Expo and the International Year of Cooperatives were both very important to Ivano Barberini, formerly ICA president, who passed away three years ago.

The Fondazione Ivano Barberini now aims to promote the culture of cooperative enterprise and  to produce research, surveys and studies on the characteristics and future potential of cooperation as an economic and social movement.

Fondazione Barberini will be at the ICA EXPO in Manchester to celebrate the 2012 IYC.

The mission of the Foundation is to recall and draw inspiration from the philosophy of Ivano Barberini, who dedicated his life to finding and developing strategies to enhance the cooperative approach and establish the cooperative business model as an integral and essential part of Italian and global economy.

At the heart of this philosophy is the firm belief  that cooperatives are not simply an alternative way of producing and distributing wealth through business activities, but also a fundamental factor in the building and reinforcing of democratic values.

The concept of cooperation continues to be based on principles and values defined in the nineteenth century, but the movement is by no means static. On the contrary, it is in constant evolution.

The cooperative movement has proven to be the business format that has succeeded, more than any other, in creating operational opportunities in practically every sector of the economy.

There are nearly one billion cooperative members around the world and yet, many people are still unaware of these structures and the opportunities they offer.

The mission of the Fondazione Ivano Barberini is, therefore, to help create a network,of study centres by setting itself up as a central reference point for the wider activity of raising awareness and promoting the culture of cooperation within our society.

The Foundation aims to focus particularly on the younger generation by supporting initiatives regarding their future (through grants for research on cooperative issues and the construction of stable relationships with schools of all types and levels) and by involving young people directly in the activities of the Foundation.

In short, the idea is to look to the future and the Foundation therefore seeks to:

• Share its national and international excellence with the world of social and economic research, by bringing the question of cooperation to the attention of researchers and launching a new season of studies focused on
cooperatives.

• Generate opportunities for interaction between the world of research and cooperation.

• Reinforce the presence of cooperative issues in public debate and raise awareness of cooperation and the culture, history and values on which its position in our economy and society is founded.

The amazing power of cooperatives coming to the ICA Expo

The 2012 International Summit of Cooperatives is proud to confirm its participation at the ICA Expo in Manchester. Marking the closing of the International Year of Cooperatives, this event will be the ideal opportunity to highlight the outcomes of the Summit, taking place less than a month earlier.

The international scope of the Summit and ICA Expo, and their inclusion of all cooperative sectors, make them two of the cooperative world’s not to be missed events for 2012. They will help the International Year of Cooperatives pave the way for the decade of cooperatives.

Both events share the same goals: facilitate discussions and networking opportunities between cooperatives from around the world, and encourage business partnerships. But in addition to business opportunities, the Summit will also be a chance for cooperatives to draw on the movement’s best practices, learn from their peers, and ensure the development and longevity of cooperative businesses.

This first International Summit of Cooperatives, which aspires to become a regular event, will be held in Quebec City, Canada, this coming October 8 to 11. It will bring together some 1,500 leaders, delegates, stakeholders, decision-makers and researchers from the cooperative world, representing 90 different countries and a wide range of cooperative sectors.

World-renowned speakers and unpublished studies
The Summit will welcome over 130 keynote speakers, who will discuss current and future challenges shared by cooperatives. These speakers include prominent figures such as Jacques Attali, Nobel prize recipients such as A. Michael Spence, leading contributors from the cooperative sector and academics such as Riccardo Petrella, as well as various presidents and CEOs of cooperative businesses such as Peter Marks, CEO of The Co-operative Group (United Kingdom), host of the ICA Expo in Manchester.

During the Summit, the results of six groundbreaking studies will also be revealed by McKinsey & Company (major global trends and challenges, development strategies, best practices), Deloitte (productivity, financing and capitalization), Ipsos-UQAM (member expectations) and the Institut de recherche et d’éducation pour les coopératives et les mutuelles de l’Université de Sherbrooke - IRECUS (socio-economic impact of cooperatives). These results will then be shared during the ICA Expo.

The amazing power of cooperatives
There is no doubt that cooperatives will have a greater role to play in the coming years. The future belongs to businesses that put human capital ahead of financial capital, not those that seek excessive returns, which, as we’ve seen, can lead to disastrous economic results. The Summit and ICA Expo can play a pivotal role in this respect, which is why we’re encouraging as many representatives from the cooperative movement as possible to participate in these two milestone events of the International Year of Cooperatives.

For more information, visit:
www.2012intlsummit.coop

Romanian participation at ICA EXPOCOOP 2012

In the framework of the International Year of Co-operatives, the latest edition of ICA EXPOCOOP represents an event of great magnitude, intended to convey a message of solidarity, force and competitiveness to co-operatives from around the world. The trade fair will re-affirm that the co-operative movement represents a solution for difficult economic and social problems of the contemporary world. Certainly, the participation at the Expo will be an important promotional engine for co-operative societies, a means to increase their visibility and to promote their economic potential, expertise and knowledge.

The Romanian production co-operative movement understands the importance of this event and confirms its participation at ICA EXPOCOOP for the second time, conviced that the results, both co-operative and pragmatic, will meet its expectations.

The National Union of Handicraft and Production Co-operatives of Romania - UCECOM will participate with 10 of its associated members, handicraft co-operative societies (producers and service providers) that cover a large range of products and activities, such as:

•  Garments for women, men and children: dresses, blouses, skirts, trousers, jackets, coats etc., including sport and ski garments.
• Knitwear: pullovers, dresses, skirts, jackets, costumes etc.
• Small furniture and other wooden articles: toys and games, boxes, newspapers supports etc.
• Textile handicraft: embroidered folk blouses, folk scarves, folk dolls etc. and wooden handicraft - figurines, vases, folk spoons etc.;
• Food products: candies (drops, sweet and breath refreshing tablets), sorbets, food essences, flavors and dyes.

The Romanian presence at ICA EXPOCOOP represents a possibility to promote the co-operative societies from this country, their products and services. The expo also provides an opportunity to develop new relationships, partnerships and business networks with organisations from the UK and other countries of the world, which will benefit both the exhibitors and the other UCECOM members.
At the same time, the exhibition and the related events can strengthen the connections with other co-operative structures present at the trade fair.

Romanian Exhibitors thank the organizers in advance for the valuable effort, dedication and competence demonstrated in the preparation of this important event for co-operatives from around the world, assuring that ICA EXPOCOOP provides all with the best service.

Romanian exhibitors also wish a successful participation to all the participants, with the sincere hope to increase solidarity, understanding and openness which represents the co-operative movement and assures its sustainability, despite the difficulties imposed during almost two centuries of existence.

We welcome you to The National Union of Handicraft and Production Co-operatives of Romania – UCECOM stand to meet your Romanian colleagues and discover a part of the Romanian people’s tradition and soul.

IFFCO LOOKS FORWARD TO THE CO-OPERATIVE GATHERING AT ICA EXPO2012

The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited (IFFCO) is ready to participate in the third edition of ICA EXPO 2012 to be held from 31 October to 2 November, 2012 in Manchester, UK.

The United Nations has declared the year 2012 as International Year of Cooperatives. ICA EXPO is the most coveted and respected international co-operative trade show where cooperatives from around the world showcase the co-operative model of enterprise, the quality of co-operative products and services and share their strengths in various business fields.

ICA EXPO 2010

Apart from the first expo held in Lisbon in 2008, IFFCO also participated and co-hosted ICA Expo 2010 Bangalore, India on a large scale.  “It was indeed a moment of pride for IFFCO to co-host such a significant international co-operative event where cooperatives from almost all sectors of the economy showcased their products and services. We are sure the forthcoming ICA Expo 2012 will further enhance significant cooperation among various cooperatives and provide an excellent platform for global cooperatives to expand their business worldwide”, explains Dr. Gopal Saxena, IFFCO Director of Cooperative Development.

IFFCO has spearheaded the Indian co-operative moment for 4 decades. By wielding the advantages of science, technology, and agriculture-centric diversification, the endeavour had fructified into sustained co-operation among farmers through the length and breadth of India ensuring an everlasting smile on the faces of Indian farmers and prosperity to proud nation.

The IFFCO effect endows better fertilizers, better harvests and better lifestyles by expanding the corporate spectrum auguring diverse prospects and thus narrowing the gap between technology and human effort to achieve the growth plan delineated in vision.

ICA EXPO 2010

The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) is the world's leading processed fertilizer marketing company in the cooperative sector with a turnover of around $US 4.66 billion in the year 2010-11. It is a cooperative society wholly owned by its members with a vast marketing network of 40,000 cooperative societies reaching more than 55 million farmers in India.

Today, IFFCO has a total of 19 associates & subsidiaries under its fold covering various sectors like General Insurance, Power generation, Rural Telecom, SEZ and Mining, apart from its core business of fertilizers. IFFCO also has joint ventures outside India with Legend International- Australia, JIFCO- Jordan, KIT-Dubai, UAE, OMIFCO-Oman,UAE, ICS Senegal and recently added Growmax Agri Corp., Peru and Americas Petrogas Inc., Argentina.

In India, IFFCO controls IFFCO Power-ICPL, IFFCO Kisan SEZ, IFFCO Sanchar –IKSL, IFFCO Insurance-IFFCO-Tokio, Rural Development-CORDET, Forest Development-IFFDC, Community Service-KisanSeva Trust, IFFCO Foundation, IPL – Potash. At a global level IFFCO also has business agreements with Phoschem-USA, PhosAgro-Russia & Mosaic – USA.

Citadelle showcases its cooperative difference to win over the world’s food coops.

CAPTION: Martin Plante, Citadelle Director of Sales, with Charles Gould, Director-General of the International Co-operative Alliance.

Last December 8 to 10, Citadelle set up its kiosk in Bangalore, India for an international trade show exclusively for cooperatives. An initiative of the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA), Expo Co-op was first held in 2008 in Portugal with the goal of promoting cooperative trade and to provide a window on cooperative organizations. Originating all over the world, participating coops can build awareness of their products among professionals in the business, discuss their individual situations and develop business connections with each other. Among participants in 2010 were over 120 coops from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas, mostly from the food sector, including the Co-operative Group, one of the world’s biggest consumer cooperatives with 6 million members.

Interviewed upon his return, Martin Plante, Citadelle’s director of sales, says he was quite pleased with this first experience. “The show was everything we expected. So much so, we’ve already booked our space for the next exposition – 2012 in Manchester England!”

In addition to exposing a large number of visitors and exhibitors from all over the world to maple syrup, Citadelle’s representative was able to meet several potential business partners in person as well as promote an initiative he holds close to his heart. 

Affirming our cooperative difference

Citadelle’s first foray into the exposition field happened to fit with one of its underlying strategies, namely to conquer cooperative markets by promoting the cooperative difference.

“Food coops serve 100 million families world wide,” says Plante.  “We took advantage of this opportunity to talk about the cooperative and reach these customers.” 

Citadelle’s presence at the show also stems from the much broader goal of contributing to the development of coop-to-coop business on a global scale,” confides Plante, who had the opportunity to have a long conversation on the subject with the ICA’s new Director-General, Charles Gould.

Plante’s  recent trip to India only served to intensify his fervour to the concept of co-operative identification through the 100% coop seal. Invited off the cuff to present this subject during the Expo Co-op, he elicited enormous interest from an audience essentially made up of representatives of the International Cooperative Alliance’s Asia-Pacific sector. “The ICA needs concrete achievements to demonstrate the dynamism of inter-cooperative commerce,” he says with enthusiasm.  “The success of our strategy among food cooperatives would be a lovely example.”

But his bigger dream is to see the day where grocery stores would have a cooperative food section, at least in food cooperatives, like those that already exist for fair trade foods. With less than a year before the international year of the cooperative, one can only dream of the day...

The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) invites everyone to celebrate the International Year of Co-operatives at ICAExpo 2012

The United Nations has proclaimed 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives.

Aiming at increasing public awareness about co-operatives and their contributions to socio-economic development, the ICA is organizing international events which will raise the profile of co-operatives within international institutions in particular and attract international media attention.

ICA Expo, the global co-operative business trade fair is one of the ICA initiatives for the year and promises to be one of the main celebrations.  With the close collaboration of the Co-operative Group, the ICA is calling all co-operatives to join us to present the quality and excellence of co-operative products as well as promote co-operative enterprise around the world.

ICAExpo 2012 will provide the co-operative movement with the opportunity to show the benefits of a co-operative economy guided with values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity, honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.

The trade fair will help promote the importance of this successful business model which serves their members and communities.  Co-operatives are trading enterprises that produce quality products and services and provide these at affordable prices. 

Trade and entrepreneurial activities ensure that co-operatives can undertake their purpose to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations.  They draw attention to the fact that co-operatives are competitive enterprises operating locally as well as on the international market. ICA Expo facilitates contacts, exchange of information, partnerships and provides trade related capacity building. 

To host the event, the ICA has decided that there is no better place than Manchester, UK - the birthplace of the co-operative movement. The trade fair will be held from 31^st October to 2^nd November, 2012. 

The ICA has approved several large-scale events to be held during the ICAExpo week to maximize cross-promotional opportunities.

The Co-operative Group – UK , the largest co-operatively owned consumer organization in the world, has partnered with ICAExpo to offer exhibitors a state-of-the-art exhibition which promises to be a landmark for the co-operative sector.

So don’t miss this unique opportunity and join us now!

ICAEXPO 2010 - Photos from India