The International Labour Organization (ILO) and its partners are moving forward with efforts to establish international statistical standards for cooperatives and other social and solidarity economy (SSE) entities. At the heart of this push are two expert Technical Working Groups (TWGs), which convened for their second meetings on June 25 and July 1, 2025.
These groups are tasked with building harmonized frameworks to measure the impact of SSE and cooperatives, with their findings expected to inform the 2028 International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS). The meetings are part of a broader UN initiative under the Inter-Agency Task Force on Social and Solidarity Economy (UNTFSSE) and the Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC), both of which aim to ensure better data representation for organizations that prioritize people over profit.
The TWG on SSE statistics, which met first, focused on developing a statistical definition of SSE entities that can apply across varying national contexts. Marie J. Bouchard of the Université du Québec à Montréal highlighted the distinction between legal and statistical definitions, pointing out that while some countries have formal SSE definitions, many do not. Thus, a flexible and inclusive statistical framework is essential.
The group emphasized the importance of grounding statistical definitions in core SSE values like democratic governance, mutual aid, autonomy, and the prioritization of people over capital. The group also discussed a typology to include cooperatives, associations, mutual societies, social enterprises, and other hybrid or informal models operating under SSE principles. The consensus was to adopt a modular, adaptable approach that accommodates both formal and informal structures.
The July 1 session of the second TWG addressed how to better capture the economic contribution of cooperatives, whose impact often goes underreported in traditional economic systems. Madeg Le Guernic of Rennes School of Business opened the session by noting this persistent undervaluation, while Olivier Frey, who is leading efforts to create new metrics, presented a multi-dimensional strategy. His proposal focused on three key areas: economic operations between cooperatives and their members, how surpluses are redistributed, and the value of unpaid or volunteer labor.
The group recognized the need for indicators that are both methodologically sound and practically implementable across national statistical systems. Experts also suggested incorporating layered indicators that span from member-level benefits—such as income and access to services—to community-wide impacts like resilience during crises and local economic retention. Participants stressed the importance of aligning these cooperative-specific indicators with broader global systems like the UN’s System of National Accounts (SNA) to ensure wider integration.
The TWGs will reconvene in September 2025, followed by a joint in-person workshop in Bordeaux in October. This gathering will offer a platform for the two groups to share findings and improve consistency between SSE and cooperative statistical approaches. The Bordeaux workshop will also allow stakeholders from across sectors and countries to contribute to shaping these global frameworks. These efforts are rooted in mandates set by recent UN General Assembly Resolutions—A/RES/77/281 and A/RES/79/213—which call for strengthened support and visibility for SSE entities worldwide.
Ultimately, the goal of these technical deliberations is not just statistical. As emphasized by participants, the work is about more than data—it’s about ensuring the recognition of cooperatives and SSE as essential, people-driven contributors to inclusive, sustainable development on a global scale.
Courtesy: ILO