The ICA has encouraged cooperatives worldwide to pursue the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) and to be part of the solution to reduce inequality, fight poverty, and improve environmental outcomes (ICA, 2017). In order to transition towards a more environmentally sustainable world, we need technological, organisational and policy innovation. Cooperatives are a unique type of self-organised and collaborative organisational and business model, which gives them the potential to act as intermediary organisations which can support eco-innovation both amongst their members, within the coop but also throughout the business network.

In this session we will explore cooperatives’ potential role in eco-innovation through social capital theory and as intermediary actors that create spaces and processes of interaction, joint activities and problem-solving to enable eco-innovation.

Trainer: Dr. Sidsel Grimstad