Publications and tools on cooperatives

Business Group Formation Empowering Women and Men in Developing Communities

01 January 2008

This manual helps trainers to promote group formation as a way to empower women and men in low income communities. It is designed for use in workshops to facilitate the process of group formation and development for joint production, business and/or social activities, such as buying raw materials together, sharing business premises, joint marketing and mutual assistance in coping with family emergencies.

Helping micro and small enterprises cope with HIV/AIDS - A handbook for small business associations and service providers

01 January 2007

This handbook attempts to respond to the needs and constraints of small and micro enterprises, formal or informal, by providing practical guidance for those who regulate, advise and support them. The objectives of the handbook are to raise awareness about the impact of HIV/AIDS on micro and small enterprise owners, managers and workers and to offer policy and technical guidance to the individuals and institutions that provide support and services to small businesses.

Guidelines for cooperative legislation, second revised edition

01 February 2005

Provides guidance on how to draft a cooperative law.

Productivity in cooperatives and worker-owned enterprises: ownership and participation - Make a difference

01 September 2004

This volume has been prepared as a background paper for the ILO's World employment Report 2004: Employment, productivity and poverty reduction. It examines how the ownership structure and the active participation of workers and members in cooperatives and worker-owned enterprises impact on the productivity of such enterprises.

Cooperatives in Asia. From reform to reconstruction

09 July 2001

Comprises a collection of 16 papers divided into four parts covering the response of Asian cooperatives to external threats such as globalization and the Asian financial crisis; public policies on cooperative development; the relationships between primary cooperatives and the federal strucure; and cooperative support services.

The Role of Cooperatives and other Self-Help Organizations in Crisis Resolution and Socio-Economic Recovery

01 May 2001

The ILO is increasingly reinforcing its capacity to respond to the different crisis situations, based on its specialized experience within its core fields of expertise. Since its inception, the ILO has also been the leading international organization involved in the promotion and support of cooperatives. The aim of this study has been to explore ways in which these two fields of experience can be brought together for the benefit of those who suffer the consequences of crises.

ILO