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, including a first International Community of Cooperative Innovation Practices (CIPIC), focused on responsible artificial intelligence.

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

2024

2024

Create the Solidarity Cooperative INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE INNOVATION NETWORK (ICIN), SOLIDARITY COOPERATIVE to ensure the sustainability of the Global Innovation Coop Summit and develop a comprehensive service offering.

Establish the first international community of innovative practices focused on collaborative learning, knowledge sharing, and professional development.

Optimize participants’ experience by providing tools and features that simplify and enrich their engagement in the offered activities through stimulating technologies and facilitation methods.

2024
2025
2025

2025

In line with the theme of the International Year of Cooperatives, the GLOBAL INNOVATION COOP SUMMIT (GICS) will offer a top-tier program meeting participants’ expectations for global innovation, enabling cooperatives and mutuals to face future challenges.

2026

2026

Provide a range of services to cooperative and mutualist event organizers to help them achieve their goals in terms of engagement, visibility, and event success through our adaptable event platform.

Preparation for the 2027 GICS.

2026

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 will be elected at the general meeting.
  • Gender parity and representative country balance will be 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. International communities of innovative practices.
  • The first community will be initiated in 2024. The theme and registration cost are yet to be defined.
  • 8 webinars to address a specific topic.
  • Support documentation, activity reports.

 

3. 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.
  • International Communities of Innovative Practices Entry Fee.
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Why Become a Member?

  • Access to a global network of cooperators and experts.
  • Preferential pricing for GICS registration.
  • Preferential pricing for international communities of innovative practices activities.
  • 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
Luiz Branco

Luiz Branco

Director, CEO of WEX Business. Organizer of World Cooperative Management (WCM), Brazil
Joanne Lechasseur

Joanne Lechasseur

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

Christina Procopio

Director, Former Head of Communications for World Expo organized by the International Cooperative Alliance

Aaron Stewart

Director, General Counsel at VME Coop

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
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