This International Co-operative Governance Symposium is an interactive and participatory gathering of governance professionals, experts, and researchers from various countries. This is not a large, “talking head” style conference as most attendees will be direct contributors to at least one of the sessions during the Symposium.

Consider these few days as an opportunity to think deeply about governance systems that are fit for co-operatives. Learn from each other about new and different frameworks and practices that focus on the participatory, people-centred, democratic, and jointly-owned nature of co-operatives with the objective of maintaining and enhancing co-operative health.

Symposium Context
Governance in any type of organization is not a “one size fits all”. The best Co-operative governance evolves and is dependent on situation - co-operative type, culture, country, sector, economic, and other factors. However, the best governance in co-operatives is understood in the context of the co-operative purpose and enterprise model. Whether and how this is being done is central to this Symposium as well as our multi-year co-operative governance initiative.

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Join Futurpreneur and The Growcer for a National Zoom Gathering: Baking food security into your social enterprise business model, a solution for northern, Indigenous communities.

In this webinar, you will:

• Meet inspiring social entrepreneurs who are leading the way
• Learn how social purpose business models can effectively address food insecurity and empower Indigenous communities at the same time
• Connect with inspiring social entrepreneurs who are integrating food security into their business models
• Find out how The Growcer recognizes the needs of diverse communities and integrates this understanding with equity as a key pillar of their business model
• Learn about the life cycle of a Growcer project and get key insights on what it is like to own/operate this novel food security solution in Northern communities and the community impacts.

Register for Baking Food Security into Your Social Enterprise Business Model

Meet our Panelists:

• Alida Burke: Co-founder and COO, The Growcer Meet Alida and learn why she and Corey Ellis developed The Growcer business concept in 2015 and what they have achieved and learned so far.
• Merlyn Recinos: Mayor of ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒃ (Igloolik), Nunavut, Co-Founder of Arctic Fresh. Learn about his entrepreneurial vision for Igloolik and how he startedhis first business at only age 8!
• April Folz: Economic Development Director, Sheshegwaning First Nation. Learn about the growing importance of developing innovative solutions to bring fresh food to her community located on Manitoulin Island, approximately 112km west of Little Current, especially in light of COVID-19.
• Joanne Norris (moderator): Director, Indigenous & Northern Communities at Futurpreneur Canada.

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC) is hosting a national online forum on how co-operatives can grow Canada’s co-op economy. The event will be held on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 from 2:00-3:30pm (EDT) via Zoom. There is no charge to participate.

Participants will have the opportunity to share challenges and opportunities while learning from the experience of others. The forum is moderated by John Kay and Sylvie Naud and features simultaneous interpretation to English and French.

Register for the Spring National Forum 2021

The aim of the Global Innovation Coop Summit is to create a space for cooperative leaders from all sectors around the world to share, discuss, learn, and together build a more inclusive plural economy in the innovation trend.

Through these periodic events, we will explore new trends in technological and social innovation (management, leadership, governance, etc.), to prepare the cooperative business model for the challenges it faces and those to come.

Through its basic governance principles practiced for over 150 years, today, the cooperative market can offer a path to the traditional market based on respect for sustainable development, equality, inclusive values, and people-centered principles.

However, in order to assume this role of a leader in directing the “new normal”, the cooperative market must remain agile, innovative, updated and inclined towards digital adaptation, something that has been talked about vastly and is at the core of any market today.

Register for the Global Innovation Coop Summit