For their ongoing webinar series, the Future of Work Hub , based in the Business School of the University of Sussex, organizers invited ILO COOP Manager Simel Esim to make a presentation on cooperatives and wider social and solidarity economy responses to the future of work.
Ms Esim started her presentation by referring to the ILO’s Centenary Declaration on the Future of Work . She noted that the declaration called for the need to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprises, including cooperatives and social and solidarity economy enterprises.
She reflected on economic, demographic, environmental and technological megatrends that are transforming the world of work. She also noted the devastating effects of the global pandemic on the world of work.
She proceeded to give examples of cooperative and the wider social and solidarity economy responses in each of these areas. She concluded by underlining the need for innovative solutions to the challenges of the world of work.
She noted that while they may be an old tool, cooperatives keep reinventing themselves in responding to emerging problems. With supportive ecosystems they could actually be effective tools toward shaping the future of work we want.
The ensuing discussion included, but was not confined to the elements that constitute a supportive cooperative ecosystem, the importance of cooperative education, and ways cooperation among cooperatives can be encouraged. A recording of the webinar is also available.
ILO COOP Unit Manager was interviewed for the second edition of Co-op Women’s Voices, a series started by two women leaders from the cooperative movement in the UK.
Courtesy-ILO
