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International Year of Cooperatives

About the United Nation’s International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC2025)

The United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives under the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” This global initiative highlights the vital role cooperatives play in driving sustainable development, creating decent work opportunities, and strengthening economies.

Objectives of the IYC2025

The International Year of Cooperatives 2025 sheds light on the global impact and potential of cooperatives while encouraging support from governments, businesses, and civil society. It showcases successful cooperative models, drives policy discussions, and promotes practices that foster cooperative growth and sustainability.

Global Impact of Cooperatives

There are approximately 3 million cooperatives worldwide, representing at least 1.2 billion members. These cooperatives span diverse sectors, including agriculture, banking, consumer, energy, fisheries, health, housing, insurance, and industry & services.

Global Snapshot of Housing Cooperatives

Determining the exact number of housing cooperatives and their members globally is challenging due to variations in reporting and definitions across countries. However, housing cooperatives exist on all continents in various formats, including resident-owned and rental models. Visit our page on the various cooperative housing models.

For instance, in Germany, over 2,000 housing cooperatives are managing more than two million apartments and serving over three million members. (source).  In the United States, Co-op City in the Bronx, New York, is home to more than 15,000 families in 35 buildings, making it the largest housing cooperative in the world.

Globally, cooperatives across all sectors have a significant presence, with about 3 million cooperatives varying by sector and type, and about 12% of the human population are members of a cooperative. However, specific global statistics for housing cooperatives alone are not readily available.

How Housing Cooperatives Build a Better World

Housing cooperatives put people before profit, ensuring secure, affordable homes for their members. They create stable, resilient communities by promoting long-term sustainability and responsible growth. Through shared ownership and participation, coops empower residents with a voice in decision-making and a stake in their community’s success.
By working together, housing cooperatives tackle challenges like affordability, economic security, and environmental sustainability, building stronger communities.

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