On 2 June 2025, during the 113th International Labour Conference hosted by the ILO, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and CICOPA issued two joint statements advocating for fair, safe, and decent work for all.
The first statement addresses the issue of informality in employment, highlighting how cooperatives, people-centred businesses, can play a transformative role by offering legal protections, improving working conditions, and supporting workers.
It calls for the integration of cooperatives into national and global strategies aimed at transitioning workers from informal to formal employment.
The second statement focuses on the challenges faced by gig and platform workers, such as low wages and poor working conditions. It presents platform cooperatives, digital businesses owned and governed by the workers themselves, as a fairer alternative that ensures better pay, rights, and decision-making power.
Through these statements, ICA and CICOPA urge governments and the ILO to recognize and support cooperatives as vital components in building a more just and inclusive future of work.
