The Cooperative Advantage of Doing Business

The Cooperative Advantage of Doing Business

Senior executives from cooperatives across Asia and the Pacific rim will be joining New Zealand cooperative executives at the Intercontinental Hotel in Wellington from 27-29 November for a symposium on “The Cooperative Advantage of Doing Business”.

Organised by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), sponsored by the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) and hosted by the New Zealand Cooperatives Association (NZCA), the object of the symposium is to share the business experience of successful cooperatives so as to enhance the competitiveness of cooperative enterprises in a globalized market.

“There is a huge amount of evidence to show and prove the ways in which cooperatives distinguish themselves from other business models, particularly investor-owned corporations,” said Mr. Shil Kwan Lee, the ICA’s Regional Director. “With the growth of globalization and the emergence of new markets, cooperative enterprises need to show clearly the values that provide their unique advantage.”

“With cooperatives being responsible for 22% of New Zealand GDP and six co-ops in the Global300 List of the world’s largest cooperatives,” Mr Lee went on, “we know that dialogue between cooperative executives from around Asia and the Pacific will be very worthwhile, and expect to see a boost in trade between New Zealand and visiting cooperatives following this symposium.”

On Tuesday 26, November, following an opening address by Minister of Commerce Hon. Lianne Dalziel, the first presentation is by David Graham, Chairman of Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd.. There will also be presentations from Mr Surinder Kumar Jhakar, Chairman of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd., and Mr In-Suk Suh, Vice President Executive of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of the Republic of Korea.

Other scheduled speakers include senior executives from Kuwait’s Union of Consumer Cooperative Societies and NTUC Fair Price, Singapore’ leading supermarket group.

ENDS

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