The financial and ensuing economic crisis has had negative impacts on the
majority of enterprises; however, cooperative enterprises around the world
are showing resilience to the crisis. Financial cooperatives remain
financially sound; consumer cooperatives are reporting increased turnover;
worker cooperatives are seeing growth as people choose the cooperative
form of enterprise to respond to new economic realities.

Why is this form of enterprise proving so resilient?

This report will provide historical evidence and current empirical evidence
that proves that the cooperative model of enterprise survives crisis, but
more importantly that it is a sustainable form of enterprise able to
withstand crisis, maintaining the livelihoods of the communities in which
they operate. It will further suggest ways in which the ILO can strengthen
its activity in the promotion of cooperatives as a means to address the
current crisis and avert future crisis.