2025: The International Year of Cooperatives
The theme of the 2025 United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC 2025), "Cooperatives Build a Better World," highlights the lasting global influence of cooperatives. It emphasizes how the cooperative model serves as a vital solution to addressing numerous global challenges and continues to play a key role in advancing efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
This year presents a unique opportunity to spotlight the cooperative banking model. It is a momentum, a unique opportunity for us to mobilize stakeholders all over Europe and showcase what makes our model so modern, innovative and relevant.
"The IYC 2025 shows that our democratic governance and customer-ownership model remains more relevant than ever in a world marked by geopolitical uncertainty and growing social divides. It reminds us that our values are not just a legacy of our past, but a blueprint for the years to come. Therefore, through strategic events, partnerships and awareness campaigns, our association will leverage this moment to explain and promote the singular nature of the cooperative banking model and how we are paving the way for a more stable, inclusive and sustainable Europe. Cooperative banking bring society an optimistic vision: human interest at the core; concrete tools to face challenges." says Priscille Szeradzki, EACB President in the February edition of our newsletter.
Objectives of the IYC 2025 are to:
Raise Public Awareness - Highlight the contributions of cooperativs to sustainable development.
Promote Growth and Development - Strenghten 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.
To support the objectives of IYC2025, a dedicated website, 2025.coop, has been launched.