A new ILO report that was commissioned to the ICA shows that co-operative enterprises around the world are proving resilient to the global economic crisis. The financial and ensuing economic crisis has had negative impacts on the majority of enterprises; however, co-operative enterprises around the world are showing resilience to the crisis. Financial co-operatives remain financially sound; consumer co-operatives are reporting increased turnover; worker co-operatives are seeing growth as people choose the co-operative form of enterprise to respond to new economic realities.

Why is this form of enterprise proving so resilient? The report provides historical evidence and current empirical evidence that proves that the co-operative model of enterprise survives crisis, but more importantly that it is a sustainable form of enterprise able to withstand crisis, maintaining the livelihoods of the communities in which they operate. It further suggests ways in which the ILO can strengthen its activity in the promotion of co-operatives as a means to address the current crisis and avert future crisis. See: www.ica.coop/activities/un/2009-coop-resilience.pdf