The international co-op movement was solidified in 1895 in London when the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) was founded. This first congress brought together representatives of the co-op world from Germany, Australia, the United States, India, and Switzerland, among other countries.<\/p>\n
During this meeting, the objectives of the ICA were defined. They aimed to inform, develop international trade, and defend the principles of co-operatives. Today, the ICA is the only organization to have survived both world wars<\/strong>. This is due in large part to the ICA\u2019s ability to maintain its commitment to peace and democracy while remaining politically neutral.<\/p>\n Today, it is estimated that over 12% of the world population belongs to a co-operative<\/strong>. In total, there are three million co-operatives around the globe. These co-ops are known to employ 10% of the world\u2019s working population\u2014some 280 million people. They generate a total turnover of 2034 billion USD*.<\/p>\n The ICA represents over a billion members of the three million co-operatives located around the world.<\/p>\n This makes it one of the largest non-governmental organizations in the world. In Canada, the co-op movement is thriving. Indeed, co-ops were responsible for 61.2 billion dollars of Canada\u2019s GDP in 2015<\/strong>, which was an increase of 12% from 2010. In addition, the co-op sector represents 3.4% of the total economy and 3.6% of jobs in Canada, or 666,146 jobs**. The co-op economy is constantly growing and remains stable and solid.<\/p>\n * International Co-operative Alliance<\/a> \u2013 https:\/\/www.ica.coop\/en\/cooperatives\/facts-and-figures<\/a><\/p>\n