Unpacking the Social Economy

This webinar explores the role of co-operatives within the social and solidarity economy, including:

What defines the social and solidarity economy (SSE) and how co-operatives, mutuals, and social enterprises fit within it.
Insights from the International Labour Organisation on global momentum to strengthen SSE through legal, financial, and policy frameworks.
Australian examples of co-operatives addressing health care access, renewable energy, and social care through community-led enterprise models.
Practical lessons on founding, scaling, and sustaining co-operatives while safeguarding mission, values, and member participation.
Reflections on the unique power of co-operatives to redistribute ownership, build economic democracy, and create decent work - particularly for marginalised communities.
The importance of co-operative legislation in Australia as a ready-made tool for social enterprise and collective governance.
Challenges and enablers, including limited awareness of co-operative models, the need for education and legal support, and the value of cooperation among co-operatives.
Calls to action to engage in co-op education, advocacy, and intergenerational leadership, and to explore emerging ideas such as co-operative super funds.

Show notes and quotes

Simel Esim: “It's a time of quite unsettling, profound, intersecting transformations in the world. There's demographic shifts, shifts with rapid aging, large-scale migration of peoples, forced displacement, and the cascading climate crisis make a just transition an absolute necessity … In such a context, we are wondering how we keep solidarity alive. In this context, periods of system change with stress, intensify the demand for alternatives that bring fairness and stability. This is where the social and solidarity economy (SSE) comes in.”

“I think what distinguishes the SSE is that ownership, control, and decision-making rests with the members, workers, users, and communities. We also see that the social and solidarity economy is a space where workers can exercise their rights, enjoy freedom of association, collective bargaining and participate in social dialogue.”

“A conducive environment is about creating a level field that is no less favourable in terms than other enterprises. Then the financing that's fit for purpose, so that SSE entities are financed by those that are aligned with their mission, like credit unions, ethical banks, co-op banks and so on. There's, of course, a lot of capacity building - voice, data, issues that are needed - and without forgetting about the social dialogue and rights protection. And safeguarding integrity and trust.”

Michael Pilbrow: “I discovered co-ops through a problem in my community.”

“Many people benefited from the services the co-op provided, but also from the sense of ownership they had. Not the sense of ownership - the ownership, the real ownership they had.”

“It's given me such inspiration for collective ownership through a co-op model in renewable energy. I think it's the way of the future.”

“It's exciting that through the advocacy of the co-op peak body, the Commonwealth government has come to the co-op sector to say, ‘Help us with some innovation’.”

“...the co-operatives legislation in each state, and then there's a national law, which is beautiful. I wouldn't say that legislation is generally beautiful, but it is ready-made for the social and solidarity economy.”

“Fundamentally, Co-ops are about finding a way to meet a need that no one else is meeting, and that involves some self-interest.”

“In terms of enablers, I think it's already there. There is a legislative framework. I mean company Corporations Act can work for some of these social enterprises. The Associations Act can too. But the Co-operatives Act brings the best of them all together. The best of business and the best of community together, and it exists already. And that, combined with the existing pool of co-ops who are prepared to do cooperation among co-operatives. We already have enablers. We need to get the word out more.”

Richard Warner: “I think what is at the heart of co-operatives is really about the members, and really that is the most important thing in the whole endeavour. It's so important not to lose sight of that.”

“That's the founding energy, which starts with listening to a group of people with a common interest and a strong need to achieve something. That's the most important thing not to lose sight of. It's very powerful and it energises those members as well as people like me. I mean, that's why I get up in the morning.”

“It's self-help and it's mutual aid. It's helping yourself and helping each other. And also you're helping the broader society.”

Antony McMullen: “I would add that co-operatives are interesting in that every co-operative has to have a clear purpose and primary activities in their rules. The interesting thing is, you have members and they have obligations. So when you join a co-operative, you get something from that, but you're also expected to do something. So in a way the activity is a clear thing that members do towards that purpose and that mission. Keeping that really clear and that relationship really clear is important in my view.”

“It just reminds me of that game called Coopoly, where everyone's on the same team, and you all either win together or you all lose together.”

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For those who are keen to dive deeper and do differently, here are some links to learnings and resources mentioned by the speakers and/or related to the open learning topic:

Examples of Co-operatives:

Unpacking the Social Economy

Summary

Show notes and quotes

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