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Principles met

  • Learning

    We will capture and ‘expand’ the experience and learning from individual projects and approaches in order to encourage broader application of co-operative principles within individual member Councils and across the Network.

  • Walking the talk

    As a membership organisation, we will make this statement of our principles operational by: • Co-operation among members: Our members work together to help each other implement our values, sharing experiences and learning. • Openness of membership: Full, Associate and Affiliate Membership is open to any qualifying Council, organisation or individual who shares our values and is committed to putting them into action. • Co-production of the Network’s work: Members help shape the Network’s work programme and the content of events and written products. • Action-focused: The network is a vehicle for helping councils translate co-operative values and principles into policy and practice. •Membership-based: The network is majority funded by modest membership subscriptions from its member Councils, Associates and Affiliates. •Non-party-political: Members share the belief that working co-operatively within and across communities holds the key to tackling today’s challenges.

Before joining the Co-operative Councils’ Innovation Network (CCIN) as Operations Lead, Nicola Huckerby worked at the International Cooperative Alliance, where she saw first-hand how cooperative enterprises build a better world. 

Principle 5 of the cooperative movement is Education and Training.  In March 2024, with the support of colleagues from Confcooperative, Legacoop and the Italian Cooperative Alliance Nicola organised a Study visit for members of the Network to Emilia-Romagna.The region is world renowned because of its dense network of cooperatives, which create 30% of the region’s GDP and involve 2/3rds of the population as members. Cooperatives in the region span most sectors of the economy, especially retail, agribusiness, and social services, but they also have a significant presence in financial services, insurance, transportation, and more.

During the three-day visit, delegates met the Presidents of several Italian cooperatives. They travelled around the region using the services of a transport cooperative. The delegation visited several agri-businesses, including producers of Parmigiano Reggiano and traditional Balsamic Vinegar in Modena, and Granarolo a leading producer of milk and dairy products, where delegates toured a large milk bottling facility (see picture). There was also a visit to Cantine Riunite a leader in Italian wine production.

Delegates at the Granarolo milk bottling facility

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