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2025: A milestone year for cooperatives across the globe
The United Nations has proclaimed 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC), recognising the vital role cooperatives play in advancing sustainable development.
Under the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World”, the IYC highlights how cooperatives tackle global challenges by driving inclusive economic development, promoting social equity, and fostering environmental sustainability.
Building on the success of the first IYC in 2012, this year’s edition aims to:
Raise public awareness: Highlight the contributions of cooperatives to sustainable development.
Promote growth and development: Strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem and establishments for cooperatives.
Advocate for supportive frameworks: Encourage the creation of enabling legal and policy environments for cooperatives globally.
Inspire leadership: Foster purposeful leadership and engage youth in the cooperative movement.
Delivering sustainable and inclusive transformation
Cooperatives are key players in creating a fairer and greener future. Recognized by the UN as partners in the implementation of its 2030 Agenda for sustainable development (paragraphs 41 and 67), cooperatives contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through their values and principles.
Guided by these values and principles, cooperatives embody a people-centred approach that strengthens local economies while addressing global challenges. They promote inclusive decision-making, fair distribution of resources, and long-term sustainability, which are core elements of the SDGs.
Rooted in their communities, cooperatives meet local needs while ensuring benefits stay within the community. Globally, they are estimated to represent 10% of the world’s employment and operate across all economic sectors, building a strong international network with significant economic and social impact. This dual dimension - “local action, global impact” - makes cooperatives uniquely positioned to deliver transformative change.
In the European energy sector, energy cooperatives and energy communities are at the forefront of this movement, enabling citizens to take control of their energy future while fostering sustainable development.
Cooperative principles: the backbone of energy communities
Voluntary and open membership, democratic member control, member economic participation, autonomy, education, cooperation among cooperatives, concern for community. These principles define cooperatives and resonate strongly with energy communities, laying the foundations for a way of operating that differentiates them from conventional energy businesses.
These principles are not only central to the definitions of "renewable" and "citizen" energy communities in the EU Clean Energy Package, but they also guide the work of REScoop.eu. A clear example of this commitment is seen in the REScoop.eu membership. Members sign the REScoop.eu Charter when they join, pledging to uphold these seven cooperative principles and reinforcing their dedication to a fair and democratic energy transition.
At REScoop.eu, we see these principles in action every day. From installing solar panels on social housing rooftops to supplying energy to families affected by natural disasters, energy communities across Europe are creating tangible, positive change. Watch this inspiring video to see how energy communities – in different corners of Europe - make cooperative principles tangible.
Join the celebration of the 2025 International Year of Cooperatives!
2025 is a year to celebrate and amplify the role of cooperatives in building a better world. Here is how you can get involved:
Use the IYC logo - Cooperatives of all sectors are invited to use the official IYC logo (available in English, Spanish and French). Request it here.
Raise awareness - Planning an event to celebrate the IYC? Be sure to add it to the event list to spread the word.
Follow REScoop.eu on social media - And discover how energy communities contribute to a sustainable and inclusive energy future.
Celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives - Mark your calendar for 5 July and join the Coops Day.
Cooperating towards a democratic energy transition
The energy transition must be democratic, and cooperatives are leading the way. Let’s use 2025 to showcase the power of energy cooperatives and inspire even more people to join the movement.
Together, we can build a better world—one community at a time.
