Alternatives to Capitalist Organization of Production/Distribution

International Cooperative Alliance

Summary: - ICA is an independent, non-governmental association which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide. - Founded in 1895, ICA has 240 member organisations from 90 countries active in all sectors of the economy. Together these co-operatives represent more than 800 million individuals worldwide. - ICA's priorities and activities centre on promoting and defending the Co-operative Identity, ensuring that co-operative enterprise is a recognised form of enterprise that is able to compete in the marketplace. - It helps individuals, government authorities and regional and international institutions understand the co-operative model of enterprise. ICA is the voice of the co-operative movement. - ICA ensures that the right policy environment exists to enable co-operatives to grow and prosper. It helps its members in their lobbying for new legislation and more appropriate administrative procedures - ICA promotes capacity-building and financial support, it facilitates job creation and supports poverty reduction and microfinance programmes around the world. - Advocacy, linking donors to organizations, create partnerships, capacity (knowledge, development) building