About us

The Global Innovation Coops Summit is now a key initiative offered by the newly established solidarity cooperative: the International Cooperative Innovation Network (RICI). Additionally, other innovative initiatives will be introduced.

ICIN at a glance

Vision

We aspire to create a global network that promotes innovation within cooperatives. By highlighting the interconnection of the international cooperative community, our goal is to bring people together from around the world to stimulate and inspire cooperative innovation.

Mission

Our mission is to support cooperative and mutualist enterprises by offering activities that encourage learning and exchanges on innovations in various fields. In partnership with other organizations, we foster cooperation among enterprises, address global issues, and share our expertise within the international community.

Values

Cooperative values of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA): mutual aid, responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.

History

Born from the successes of the International Summits of Cooperatives in Quebec, the Global Innovation Coop Summit (GICS) was founded in 2020 to promote exchanges on global challenges and innovations in the social economy. Despite the constraints of the pandemic, GICS launched four thematic webinars between 2020 and 2021, with active participation despite language barriers.

In 2022, GICS organized its first hybrid event at the Crédit Agricole premises in Paris, attracting over 100 participants and enhancing interaction between in-person and remote participants.

For the 2023 edition, GICS was hosted by HEC Montreal, gathering more than 400 participants in a fully in-person format. This approach fostered more direct and enriching exchanges, solidifying GICS’s role as a crucial global platform for stimulating and inspiring cooperative innovation.

Timeline/Objectives

Governance of the International Cooperative Innovation Network (ICIN), Solidarity Cooperative

1. Types of Members:
  • User Members: Individuals or legal entities that will use the cooperative’s services as either producers or consumers.

This category is divided into:

  • Producer Members: The five individuals who have created and produced the event called GICS since 2020, which will become one of the activities of the solidarity cooperative, and who will subscribe to 10 qualifying social shares (CAD 100).
  • Consumer Members: Individuals or legal entities who consume ICIN services (generally participants) and will subscribe to 10 qualifying social shares and 900 preferred qualifying shares (total CAD 1000).
  • Supporting Members: Individuals or legal entities with an economic, social, or cultural interest in achieving ICIN goals and who will subscribe to 10 social shares and 900 preferred qualifying shares (CAD 1000).
2. Board of Directors:
  • Comprised of 9 members: 3 user producer members, 3 user consumer members, and 3 supporting members.
  • Board members are elected at the general meeting.
  • Gender parity and representative country balance are respected as much as possible.
3. General Meetings:
  • Composed of all members.
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Commercial Activity / Service Offering

1. International Event:

The event will be biennial and travel to facilitate international accessibility, including:

  • Conferences, roundtables, workshops.
  • Case studies, activity reports, etc.
  • International networking.

 

2. Event organization services for its members.

We will offer a complete range of services to support cooperative and mutualist event organizers. This includes content expertise, theme proposals, programming, facilitator, speaker, and panelist recruitment, website development, and tools for managing registrations and facilitating meetings, all customizable to members’ needs.

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Financing

1. Capitalization:
  • Qualifying Common Shares:
    The price of a qualifying common share to become a member is CAD $10 Quebec Cooperatives Act R.S.Q. c. C-67.2, article 41). Each member must always hold 10 qualifying social shares for a total of CAD $100.
  • Preferred Qualifying Shares (Category A):
    The price of a Category A preferred qualifying share is CAD $1. Each user consumer member and each supporting member must always hold 900 preferred qualifying shares for a total of CAD $900. Combined with the qualifying common shares, this means that each user consumer member and each supporting member must hold qualifying shares worth a total of CAD $1,000.
  • Preferred shares (Category B):
    Category B preferred shares, which are not qualifying shares but are voluntarily subscribed, will be issued at a nominal value of CAD $1 and offered to individuals or legal entity members of the Cooperative wishing to financially support it.

Note:

  • The cooperative will be operated on a non-profit basis to benefit from tax advantages and potential programs in Quebec.
  • All shares will not bear interest, notably to allow the cooperative to be considered a non-profit organization for tax purposes.
  • The required qualifying shares (common and Category A) held by each member confer the right to be a member of the cooperative, participate in general meetings, and take part in decisions regarding the Cooperative’s activities and become a member of the board of directors.
2. Sponsorships:
  • Visibility agreements.
  • Non-member partners.
3. Activity Registration:
  • GICS Entry Fee: For members and non-members.
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Why Become a Member?

  • Access to a global network of cooperators and experts.
  • Preferential pricing for GICS registration.
  • Contribute to strengthening development and innovation within cooperative and mutualist enterprises globally.
  • Open new horizons for business development.
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Meet our founders

Jean Louis

Jean Louis Bancel

Treasurer of the ICIN Board of Directors, Honorary president of Crédit Coopératif and chair of the Fondation du Crédit coopératif
Stephane Bertrand

Stephane Bertrand

President of the ICIN Board of Directors, International project manager. Former Executive Director of the International Summit of Cooperatives
Joanne Lechasseur

Joanne Lechasseur

Director of Seoul 2021 International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) World Congress, former Director of Programming of the International Summit of Cooperatives

Howard Brodsky

Vice-President of the ICIN Board of Directors, Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive at CCA Global Partners. Founder, Co-operatives for a Better World

Become a member

Member admission form