Co-operating towards the SDGs
Co-operating towards the SDGs
Today marks the annual International Day of Co-operatives, an occasion to recognize the important societal contributions of co-operative organizations. This year’s theme is “The power to act for a sustainable future” and focuses on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As part of this community, Nexus exists to overcome barriers and enable development projects to access finance and scale up their impact. Our co-operative has grown from an initial group of eight organizations to 23, counting groups working in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America amongst our membership. These groups have all come together under the banner of low-carbon development and have collectively reduced millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions and benefited millions of people.
In addressing the SDGs, we are reminded of how interconnected development challenges are and how multi-dimensional projects can be in offering solutions. Our members impact numerous development objectives beyond climate protection, from clean water and energy access to ending poverty. They operate in different contexts, yet face many of the same challenges and opportunities, so it is empowering to convene this group where we can all learn from one another and identify synergies in our work.
For instance, we recently hosted a webinar to learn about the Kiva crowdfunding platform and hear from members already benefiting from it. In our field, where funds can be limited and even the most promising solutions can face an uphill battle getting implemented, learning from each other and collaborating when possible is key to moving faster and more efficiently towards effective development strategies.
The SDGs are ambitious and will require enormous collective effort to be achieved by 2030. With many co-operatives having these goals embedded firmly in their mandates, they are well suited to lead and model the collaborative nature needed to succeed.
Visit the International Co-Operative Alliance website for more information on the International Day and the contributions that co-operatives are making towards the SDGs. For information on the organizations that make up the Nexus co-operative, visit our website.