Operationalizing Identity - Strategy and Practice

Join us for this engaging online course on Operationalizing the Co-operative Identity – Strategy to Practice. Designed for seasoned decision-makers and emerging leaders from any sector or type of co-operative, all will benefit from this knowledge-rich course. This participatory education experience focuses on enhancing your knowledge and building your network. Discuss and debate the many facets of the co-operative identity including how purpose, values, and principles translate into enterprise strategy and effective practice.

Objectives

• Deepen your understanding of the links between your values-based enterprise model and the International Co-operative Alliances’ (ICA) Statement on the Cooperative Identity.
• Finish the course with a rich set of concepts, tools, and examples, plus more knowledge of the diversity of the co-operative model in practice.
• Expand your co-operative network.

Course Facilitators

Karen Miner, Managing Director of the International Centre for Co-operative Management, researcher and instructor.

Dr. Sonja Novkovic, Co-operative Economist, Academic Director of the International Centre for Co-operative Management, Chair of the International Co-operative Alliance Committee on Co-operative Research, researcher and professor.

Key presentations by Fred Freundlich (LANKI, University of Mondragon) and Erbin Crowell (Master's graduate, Executive Director of the Neighboring Food Co-op Association, Board Member of the National Co-operative Business Association)

Course Content in Brief 

• Our unique enterprise model: purpose, values, and principles combined with people-centredness, democracy, joint ownership and control
• Evolution of the International Statement on the Co-operative Identity
• Values and principles in context: Mondragon’s 10 Principles
• Co-operative's complex purpose: the transformational potential of our values-based enterprise model
• People practices: member centricity and strategic stakeholders
• Power of principle 6: cross-sector collaboration and inter-cooperation
• Managing and measuring progress and success

Upcoming Offerings 

Please contact cme@smu.ca if you would like to be notified when our next date is set or if you would like to host the course for your organization. 

"This course is essential for anyone interested in learning more about the purpose and benefits of the co-operative business model. Whether one is new to the co-op world, or well-grounded in all things co-operative, this course offers valuable insights into how and why the co-operative identity is central to creating more fair and just workplaces and communities, and are better poised to meet the dynamic social needs and challenges in an ever-changing world."