Reimagining the Cooperative Ecosystem
Summary
In 2023, Pyxera Global committed to creating an ecosystem to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the Cooperative Sector and make it an aspirational career of choice for young leaders to bring new energy and vibrancy to the sector, with the goal of leveraging cooperatives to address some of the world’s most pressing problems. As part of this commitment, focused on India, Nepal, the United States, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, Pyxera will also convene a high-level U.N. meeting and other significant international events with the aim of building capacity and gaining greater public awareness and support for this sector.
Approach
Pyxera Global will create an ecosystem to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the Cooperative sector and make it an aspirational career of choice for young leaders to bring new energy and vibrancy to the sector. The platform aims to re-imagine the cooperative sector by working at the intersection of public, private, and social sector partnerships to boost resilience and recovery for equitable economic transformation.
Pyxera Global and its partners seek to foster a global coalition of public, private and social sector partners to advance prosperity through cooperation, to accelerate systems change, and to bring young energy of dynamism to the co-op sector. A new paradigm of leadership will advance the future of coops for a more equitable and inclusive world.
A multistakeholder global virtual convening to refine the problem definition and explore the concept of “reimagining cooperatives.”
Multistakeholder convening at the UN to amplify the import and potential of cooperatives.
Tri-Sector Partnership workshops
Designing, Developing, and executing Integrated Enterprise and Community Development & Supply Chain Innovation projects
Skills-based corporate volunteering to build co-op capacity
A think tank for research, advocacy, leadership/chamber of cooperative commerce
Development of “co-op in a box” to engage youth globally
Co-op Incubator & accelerator hub for promoting innovative cooperatives and accelerator grants for scaling of cooperatives.
Action Plan
Background development and preparation for commitment:
Q2 2023: Landscape assessment, Stakeholder Assessment, Multi Stakeholder Design Thinking Coop Labs, Strategic Partnerships with VAMNICOM, India, National Cooperative Union Of India; funding and corporate volunteer support from Coupa Software; High level Tri-Sector global consultation for problem definition, capacity building of first cohort of cooperatives in India, Grant Invitation from PepsiCo Foundation, Technical session at 17th Indian Cooperative Congress, Onboarding fundraising partner.
Q3 2023: Launch of cooperatives commitment including: CGI Commitment, MOU with Leaders on Purpose, UNGA events.
Q4 2023: Fundraising, collaboration with NCBA CLUSA and Ministry of Cooperation India
Q1 2024: UN High-Level Convening
Q2 to Q3 2024: Capacity Building and Incubation of Coop for Inclusive Circular Economy transition in India
*secure additional funding and strategic partners; testing and iterating; and assessing programming are constants and will occur during each period
Background
The world is grappling with the growing social, economic, cultural, and environmental challenges that humanity faces. To restore trust, and inspire hope, there needs to be cooperation. By their very nature cooperatives play a triple role: as economic actors, they create opportunities for jobs, livelihoods, and income; as social organizations built on a common goal and a common bond, they extend protection and security, and contribute to equality and social justice; and as democratically controlled associations of individuals, they play a constructive role in communities and nations, in society and politics. With 3 million cooperative societies, over 1 billion members, and a combined turnover well in excess of 3 trillion US$, the global cooperative movement is massive. More than 200 years old, the cooperative movement is bigger in terms of membership than the trade union movement, economically more powerful than several G20 nations, and provides employment to many more people than all multinational companies taken together. In theory, such a potent movement should be central to the international development agenda. Yet, despite its size and power, the movement has not been recognized and integrated to end poverty, ensure prosperity, and protect the planet. This sector has predominantly suffered from the inadequacy of trained professionals, lack of access to capital, laws, growth-friendly policies, innovative business models, and supply chain optimization.
Progress Update
In 2023, Pyxera Global committed to creating an ecosystem to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the cooperative sector, aiming to make it an aspirational career choice for young leaders. Our platform is designed to re-imagine the cooperative sector by integrating public, private, and social sector partnerships, boosting resilience, and promoting equitable economic transformation.
Pyxera Global achieved a major milestone by partnering with the PepsiCo Foundation, Recity, and Kushaagra Innovation Foundation to establish a waste workers cooperative in Guwahati as part of our commitment to actively design, develop, and execute Integrated Enterprise and Community Development & Supply Chain Innovation projects to support cooperative growth and sustainability.
Pyxera Global’s initiative focuses on: Institutional Development: Integrating waste workers into a formal cooperative to enhance their livelihoods, professionalize waste collection, and improve working conditions. This approach not only uplifts the lives of waste workers but also dignifies their profession.
Sustainable Waste Management: Organizing waste workers into a cooperative to increase recycling rates and repurpose waste materials, contributing to a sustainable waste management system in Guwahati. This initiative aims to develop a sustainable and effective approach to managing the city’s waste problem.
Pyxera Global has made significant strides in other key areas of our original commitment: Multistakeholder Global Virtual Convenings, UN Convenings, and Tri-Sector Partnership Workshops: We have convened and participated in events that foster collaboration and partnerships, most notably the a technical session at 17th Indian Cooperative Congress and a panel discussion hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative on “Bolstering Economic Security for Informal Economy Workers.” Overall, our progress exemplify our commitment to innovative and equitable economic transformation within the cooperative sector.
Q2 2023: Landscape assessment, Stakeholder Assessment, Multi Stakeholder Design Thinking Coop Labs, Strategic Partnerships with VAMNICOM, India, National Cooperative Union Of India; funding and corporate volunteer support from Coupa Software; High level Tri-Sector global consultation for problem definition, capacity building of first cohort of cooperatives in India, Grant Invitation from PepsiCo Foundation, Onboarding fundraising partner. (Progress: Pyxera Global has received 400,000 USD in funding from PepsiCo and completed the landscape and stakeholder assessment in Guwahati, Assam, for a Waste Collector’s Cooperative) Q4 2023: Fundraising, collaboration with NCBA CLUSA and Ministry of Cooperation India (Progress: Pyxera Global has partnered with Swacch Bharat Mission Assam and National Urban Livlihood Mission) Q2 to Q3 2024: Capacity Building and Incubation of Coop for Inclusive Circular Economy transition in India (Progress: Pyxera Global has kick-started our project in Guwahati, Assam to establish a Coop for waste collectors)
Partnership Opportunities
Financial Resources, Strategic Partners, Advisory Board Members, Media support, Impact Investment Guidance, Capacity Building, Integrated Community Development, Supply Chain Development, Tri Sector Partnerships, Thought Leadership and Corporate Employee Engagement