Background:

In an era of rapid global changes - marked by technological disruption, changing workforce dynamics, climate change,  sustainability challenges, and global economic uncertainty -, the role of leadership in cooperatives has never been more critical. These shifts require leaders to adapt quickly, remain agile and build strong governance structure. Cooperatives are not just economic entities; they are community-driven organizations that rely on strong governance and effective leadership to thrive and create sustainable impact. Effective leadership and good governance are the cornerstones that determine the success and resilience of cooperatives and fosters transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and member engagement. In a cooperative institution – the cooperative as an institution, and its members who are the owners – should benefit. These benefits are the results of the services performed by the cooperative and the economic and social benefits that have been received by the members. If both aspects are reasonably satisfactory, it can be inferred that 'good governance' is in place.

Research[1] has shown that good governance plays a vital role in determining the success or failure of cooperatives, whether in developed and developing countries. Directors and managerial staff in leadership role must be highly attuned to the needs of their members, possess a strong understanding of sound business practices, and have a deep understanding of the local and national legal, political, social, and cultural contexts. They should be capable of thinking and acting strategically, while offering leadership and guidance to the cooperative’s manager.

Researchers and practitioners have recognised weak governance as a significant barrier to the growth of sustainable cooperatives in developing countries. They have identified several governance challenges in these regions, including:

• Inadequate training of members, directors, and cooperative managers and staff;
• "top-down" decision-making within cooperatives;
• self-serving practices by managerial staff and/or board members;
• lack of diversity, gender parity and/or equitable member representation among directors;
• Inefficient and/or corrupt decision-making and self-serving behaviour by the privileged at a national or regional level.

In June 2024, the International Cooperative Alliance Asia & Pacific (ICA-AP) conducted a needs assessment survey to identify the priority areas for capacity building among its member organizations. 36% of the members expressed interest in training on Good Governance and Leadership.  

Empowered Leadership, Thriving Cooperatives: Strengthening Governance for Better Tomorrow is an online training program organised by ICA-AP as a part of ICA-EU Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA2) to equip cooperative leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complex challenges of the modern world. The training will focus on enhancing leadership capabilities, tools and strategies necessary to lead effectively, promoting good governance practices, and ultimately driving cooperatives toward sustainable growth and success.   

Objectives

The core objectives of the training are –
 

• Provide a deep understanding of cooperative governance principles and practices to ensure transparency, accountability, and democratic decision-making within their organizations.
• Develop the leadership skills of cooperative leaders and members to enable them to effectively guide their organizations towards sustainability and growth.
• Promote leadership that prioritizes sustainable business models, ethical practices, and community-driven approaches to ensure the cooperative’s positive impact on its members and society.

Target Participants

The target group is board of directors and management staff in leadership role within cooperatives across Asia Pacific region. The training program is expected to have 15-20 participants in total.

Target Platform

This will be an online training facilitated through Zoom platform.

Training Schedule

Three training sessions will be conducted over a period of  three months starting from November 2024. The details of training sessions are as follows:

Training Outcomes:

The training program aims to achieve the following outcomes:

• Development of governance policies that promote strong and effective governance within cooperatives.  
• Adoption of best practices for enhancing good governance
• Increased familiarity with technical tools that support effective governance.

[1] https://ocdc.coop/wp-content/uploads/imported-files/6-17AssessingCooperativeGovernanceTrainingNeedsinDevelopingCountries_FINAL.pdf