2025 International Year of Cooperatives
The year is 2025…
And cooperatives are more relevant than ever. In fact, in June of 2024 the United Nations General Assembly declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives – IYC2025. International years are declared by the United Nations to draw attention to and encourage action on major issues. The UN first declared an International Year of Cooperatives in 2012.
Again in 2025, with a new theme – Cooperatives Build a Better World – the International Year of Cooperatives is intended to raise public awareness of the invaluable contributions of cooperative enterprises to poverty reduction, employment generation, and social integration. The Year will highlight the strengths of the cooperative business model as an alternative means of doing business and furthering socioeconomic development.
"Cooperatives are present in every aspect of our lives, and answering to each of the SDGs
(Sustainable Development Goals), everywhere," said Ariel Guarco, President of the International Cooperative Alliance. "This is the second time in history that the UN has dedicated an international year to cooperatives, and this is not a coincidence. Driven by concern for all communities, cooperatives have successfully adapted to overcome the evolving challenges of our time, and have shown repeatedly throughout history, that together we are indeed building a better world."
Including concern for community, the 7 Cooperative Principles we’ve been operating by since 1973 sound much like the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: People, Peace, Planet, Partnership, and Prosperity. These are excellent goals as we continue to shape a just, equal, and resilient future through food.
The resolution also makes recommendations to governments across the world to explore legislation and regulations to help promote the cooperative model. The impact that the cooperative model has on improving global food security is well acknowledged. So many agricultural and food cooperatives across the world are a critical piece of continued food access and justice.
Throughout the year, you will see us continuing to highlight this amazing recognition, and we will be sharing with you how co-ops everywhere impact our societies in such a meaningful way, starting with this Natural Enquirer!
Inside you’ll find how Cooperatives Build a Better World, including how you and your Co-op are building a better world right here in Washington, with Skagit Valley as our epicenter. We’re announcing another monumental donation to Viva Farms through our Growing Good Fund; an exciting change to 4% Friday (along with the 2025 recipients); new community meals at the Co-op; and much, much more.
Join us as we celebrate what we’ve always known: the Skagit Valley Food Co-op makes this place we call home a better place.
Written by Nicole Noteboom for the January 2025 edition of the Natural Enquirer.